Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transitioning media playback between multiple electronic devices

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transitioning media playback between multiple electronic devices are provided. A first electronic subsystem may be configured to playback first media with a first playback value of a first playback characteristic, determine a first relationship value of a first relationship characteristic between the first electronic subsystem and the second electronic subsystem, and transmit a first control instruction that is based on the determined first relationship value and the first playback value. The second electronic subsystem may be configured to receive the transmitted first control instruction and playback second media with a second playback value of the first playback characteristic, where the second playback value may be based on the received first control instruction. This may enable a consistent experience for a user proximate to the first subsystem as the playback of media is transitioned from the first subsystem to the second subsystem.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This can relate to systems, methods, and computer-readable media fortransitioning media playback between multiple electronic devices and,more particularly, to systems, methods, and computer-readable media forproviding a consistent user experience when transitioning media playbackbetween multiple electronic devices.

BACKGROUND

Some systems are configured to terminate the playback of media on afirst electronic device and restart the playback of media on a secondelectronic device. However, the value of one or more playbackcharacteristics of the played back media (e.g., the volume level ofplayed back audio media) often dramatically changes when transitioningfrom the first electronic device to the second electronic device as eachdevice is often configured to playback media using that device's owninternal playback settings.

SUMMARY

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transitioning mediaplayback between multiple electronic devices are provided.

In some embodiments, there is provided a system that may include a firstelectronic subsystem and a second electronic subsystem. The firstelectronic subsystem may be configured to playback first media with afirst playback value of a first playback characteristic, determine afirst relationship value of a first relationship characteristic betweenthe first electronic subsystem and the second electronic subsystem, andtransmit a first control instruction that is based on the determinedfirst relationship value and the first playback value. The secondelectronic subsystem may be configured to receive the transmitted firstcontrol instruction and playback second media with a second playbackvalue of the first playback characteristic. The second playback valuemay be based on the received first control instruction.

In other embodiments, there is provided a method that may includeplaying back first media with a first playback value of a first playbackcharacteristic using a first electronic subsystem of a system,determining a first relationship value of a first relationshipcharacteristic between the first electronic subsystem and a secondelectronic subsystem of the system, and playing back second media with asecond playback value of the first playback characteristic using thesecond electronic subsystem. The second playback value may be based onthe first playback value and the first relationship value.

In yet other embodiments, there is provided a system that may include afirst electronic subsystem and a second electronic subsystem. The firstelectronic subsystem may include a first playback component, a firstsensor, and a first communications component. The second electronicsubsystem may include a second playback component and a secondcommunications component. The first playback component may be configuredto playback first media, the first electronic subsystem may beconfigured to determine a first playback value of a first playbackcharacteristic of the first media when the first media is being playedback by the first playback component, the second playback component maybe configured to playback second media with an initial playback value ofthe first playback characteristic, the first sensor may be configured todetermine a second playback value of the first playback characteristicof the second media when the second media is being played back by thesecond playback component with the initial playback value of the firstplayback characteristic, the first communications component may beconfigured to transmit a first adjustment instruction that may be basedon a comparison of the determined first playback value and thedetermined second playback value, the second communications componentmay be configured to receive the transmitted first adjustmentinstruction, the second playback component may be configured to adjustthe playback value of the first playback characteristic of the secondmedia from the initial playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic to an adjusted playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic when the second media is being played back by the secondplayback component, and the adjusted playback value of the firstplayback characteristic may be based on the received first adjustmentinstruction.

In still yet other embodiments, there is provided a method that mayinclude playing back first media using a first playback component of afirst electronic subsystem, determining a first playback value of afirst playback characteristic of the played back first media, playingback second media with an initial playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic using a second playback component of a second electronicsubsystem, and, during the playing back of the second media with theinitial playback value, determining a second playback value of the firstplayback characteristic of the played back second media using a firstsensor of the first electronic subsystem. The method may also includecomparing the determined first playback value and the determined secondplayback value and, after the comparing, adjusting the playback value ofthe first playback characteristic of the second media from the initialplayback value of the first playback characteristic to an adjustedplayback value of the first playback characteristic using the secondplayback component when the second media is being played back by thesecond electronic subsystem. The adjusted playback value of the firstplayback characteristic may be based on the comparing.

In still yet other embodiments, there is provided a first electronicsubsystem that may include a sensor component, a playback component, acommunications component, and a processor coupled to the sensorcomponent, the playback component, and the communications component. Theplayback component may be configured to playback first media. The sensorcomponent may be configured to determine a first value of a firstplayback characteristic of the first media when the first media isplayed back by the playback component. The sensor component may befurther configured to determine a second value of the first playbackcharacteristic of second media when the second media is played back by asecond electronic subsystem. The processor may be configured to generatea first adjustment instruction based on a comparison of the determinedfirst value and the determined second value. The communicationscomponent may be configured to communicate the first adjustmentinstruction to the second electronic subsystem.

In still yet other embodiments, there is provided a first electronicsubsystem that may include a playback component, a first communicationscomponent, and a processor coupled to the playback component and thecommunications component. The playback component may be configured toplayback first media according to a first value of a first playbackcharacteristic. The communications component may be configured toreceive a first adjustment instruction from a second electronicsubsystem during the playback of the first media according to the firstvalue of the first playback characteristic. The processor may beconfigured to adjust the value of the first playback characteristic fromthe first value to a second value based on the received first adjustmentinstruction. The playback component may be further configured toplayback the first media according to the second value based on theadjustment.

In still yet other embodiments, there is provided a method that mayinclude determining a first value of a first playback characteristic offirst media for playback with a first media playback component of afirst electronic subsystem, playing back second media with an initialvalue of the first playback characteristic using a second media playbackcomponent of a second electronic subsystem when the second mediaplayback component is positioned at a first location, determining asecond value of the first playback characteristic of the played backsecond media using a first sensor of the first electronic subsystem whenthe first sensor is positioned at a second location, comparing thedetermined first value and the determined second value, and adjustingthe value of the first playback characteristic of the second media fromthe initial value to an adjusted value using the second electronicsubsystem. The adjusting the value may be based on the comparison.

In still yet other embodiments, there is provided a method for use in asystem that includes a first electronic subsystem, a second electronicsubsystem, and a third electronic subsystem. The method may includeplaying back first media with a first playback value of a first playbackcharacteristic using the second electronic subsystem and, during theplaying back of the first media, detecting an occurrence of a subsystemtransition event using the first electronic subsystem. The method mayalso include, in response to the detection of the occurrence, playingback second media with a second playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic using the third electronic subsystem.

In still yet other embodiments, there is provided a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructionsrecorded thereon for playing back first media on a first electronicsubsystem, determining a first value of a first playback characteristicof the first media when the first media is played back on the firstelectronic subsystem, determining a second value of the first playbackcharacteristic of second media when the second media is played back on asecond electronic subsystem, comparing the determined first value andthe determined second value, generating a first adjustment instructionbased on the comparison, and communicating the first adjustmentinstruction from the first electronic subsystem to the second electronicsubsystem.

In still yet other embodiments, there is provided a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructionsrecorded thereon for playing back first media on a first electronicsubsystem according to a first value of a first playback characteristic,receiving with the first electronic subsystem a first adjustmentinstruction from a second electronic subsystem during the playback ofthe first media according to the first value of the first playbackcharacteristic, adjusting the value of the first playback characteristicfrom the first value to a second value based on the received firstadjustment instruction, and playing back the first media on the firstelectronic subsystem according to the second value based on theadjustment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects of the disclosure, its nature, and variousfeatures will become more apparent upon consideration of the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an illustrative system for transitioningmedia playback between multiple electronic devices, in accordance withsome embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of illustrative portions of the system ofFIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is an additional view of the system of FIGS. 1 and 2, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3A is an overhead views of the system of FIGS. 1-3, taken from lineIIIA-IIIA of FIG. 3, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3B is an overhead views of the system of FIGS. 1-3, taken from lineIIIB-IIIB of FIG. 3, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3C is an overhead views of the system of FIGS. 1-3, taken from lineIIIC-IIIC of FIG. 3, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 4-7 are flowcharts of illustrative processes for transitioningmedia playback between multiple electronic devices, in accordance withvarious embodiments;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an illustrative application programminginterface (“API”) architecture, in accordance with some embodiments; and

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an illustrative API software stack, inaccordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transitioning mediaplayback between multiple electronic devices are provided and describedwith reference to FIGS. 1-9.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an illustrative system 1 for transitioningmedia playback between multiple electronic devices in accordance withsome embodiments of the invention. System 1 may include a firstelectronic subsystem 10 and a second electronic subsystem 20. System 1may also include a communications set-up 55, through which firstelectronic subsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20 maycommunicate with one another. Such communication may facilitate atransition from using first electronic subsystem 10 to using secondelectronic subsystem 20 for playing back media to a user of system 1.

Each one of first electronic subsystem 10 and second electronicsubsystem 20 may be configured to playback media that may be accessiblefrom one or more media sources. Moreover, first electronic subsystem 10may be configured to detect a first value of a playback characteristicof media played back by first electronic subsystem 10 at a first momentin time before a transition and a second value of the playbackcharacteristic of media played back by second electronic subsystem 20 ata second moment in time after the transition, while second electronicsubsystem 20 may be configured to adjust the value of the playbackcharacteristic of the media played back by second electronic subsystem20 at a third moment in time after the transition based on a comparisonof the detected first and second values. This adjustment may allow forthe media played back by second electronic subsystem 20 at the thirdmoment in time to have at least one playback characteristic value incommon with the media played back by first electronic subsystem 10 atthe first moment in time. For example, this adjustment may allow for thevolume level of the media played back by second electronic subsystem 20as detected by first electronic subsystem 10 at the third moment in timeto be the same as the volume level of the media played back by firstelectronic subsystem 10 as detected by first electronic subsystem 10 atthe first moment in time, thereby providing a consistent experience fora user of system 1 (e.g., a user proximate to first electronic subsystem10) as the playback of media is transitioned from first electronicsubsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20.

For example, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, first electronicsubsystem 10 may include a first electronic device 100 and secondelectronic subsystem 20 may include a second electronic device 200.Either one or both of first electronic device 100 and second electronicdevice 200 can include, but is not limited to, a music player (e.g., aniPod™ available by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), video player, stillimage player, game player, other media player, music recorder, movie orvideo camera or recorder, still camera, other media recorder, radio,medical equipment, domestic appliance, transportation vehicleinstrument, musical instrument, calculator, cellular telephone (e.g., aniPhone™ available by Apple Inc.), other wireless communication device,personal digital assistant, remote control, pager, computer (e.g., adesktop, laptop, tablet, server, etc.), monitor, television, stereoequipment, set up box, set-top box, boom box, modem, router, printer, orany combination thereof. In some embodiments, either one or both offirst electronic device 100 and second electronic device 200 may performa single function (e.g., a device dedicated to playing back media) and,in other embodiments, either one or both of first electronic device 100and second electronic device 200 may perform multiple functions (e.g., adevice that plays back media, and receives and transmits telephonecalls).

Either one or both of first electronic device 100 and second electronicdevice 200 may be any portable, mobile, hand-held, or miniatureelectronic device that may be configured to playback media wherever auser travels. Some miniature electronic devices may have a form factorthat is smaller than that of hand-held electronic devices, such as aniPod™. Illustrative miniature electronic devices can be integrated intovarious objects that may include, but are not limited to, watches,rings, necklaces, belts, accessories for belts, headsets, accessoriesfor shoes, virtual reality devices, glasses, other wearable electronics,accessories for sporting equipment, accessories for fitness equipment,key chains, or any combination thereof. Alternatively, either one orboth of first electronic device 100 and second electronic device 200 maynot be portable at all, but may instead be generally stationary.

As shown in FIG. 1, for example, first electronic device 100 of firstelectronic subsystem 10 may include a processor 102, memory 104, firstcommunications component 106, power supply 108, input component 110,media playback component 112, sensor 114, and second communicationscomponent 116. First electronic device 100 may also include a bus 118that may provide one or more wired or wireless communications links orpaths for transferring data and/or power to, from, or between variousother components of first electronic device 100. In some embodiments,one or more components of first electronic device 100 may be combined oromitted. Moreover, first electronic device 100 may include othercomponents not combined or included in FIG. 1 and/or several instancesof the components shown in FIG. 1. For the sake of simplicity, only oneof each of the components of first electronic device 100 is shown inFIG. 1.

Memory 104 of first electronic device 100 may include one or morestorage mediums, including for example, a hard-drive, flash memory,permanent memory such as read-only memory (“ROM”), semi-permanent memorysuch as random access memory (“RAM”), any other suitable type of storagecomponent, or any combination thereof. Memory 104 may include cachememory, which may be one or more different types of memory used fortemporarily storing data for electronic device applications. Memory 104may store media data (e.g., music and image files), software (e.g., forimplementing functions on first electronic device 100), firmware,preference information (e.g., media playback preferences), lifestyleinformation (e.g., food preferences), exercise information (e.g.,information obtained by exercise monitoring equipment), transactioninformation (e.g., information such as credit card information),wireless connection information (e.g., information that may enable firstelectronic device 100 to establish a wireless connection), subscriptioninformation (e.g., information that keeps track of podcasts ortelevision shows or other media a user subscribes to), contactinformation (e.g., telephone numbers and e-mail addresses), calendarinformation, any other suitable data, or any combination thereof.

First communications component 106 of first electronic device 100 may beprovided to allow first electronic device 100 to communicate with one ormore other electronic subsystems, electronic devices, or servers (e.g.,second electronic device 200 and/or a server 70 of a communicationsnetwork 50 of communications set-up 55) using any suitable wired orwireless communications protocol. For example, first communicationscomponent 106 may support Wi-Fi (e.g., an 802.11 protocol), ZigBee(e.g., an 802.15.4 protocol), WiDi™, Ethernet, Bluetooth™, Bluetooth™Low Energy (“BLE”), high frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and5.6 GHz communication systems), infrared, transmission controlprotocol/internet protocol (“TCP/IP”) (e.g., any of the protocols usedin each of the TCP/IP layers), Stream Control Transmission Protocol(“SCTP”), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”), hypertexttransfer protocol (“HTTP”), BitTorrent™, file transfer protocol (“FTP”),real-time transport protocol (“RTP”), real-time streaming protocol(“RTSP”), real-time control protocol (“RTCP”), Remote Audio OutputProtocol (“RAOP”), Real Data Transport Protocol™ (“RDTP”), User DatagramProtocol (“UDP”), secure shell protocol (“SSH”), wireless distributionsystem (“WDS”) bridging, any communications protocol that may be used bywireless and cellular telephones and personal e-mail devices (e.g.,Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”), GSM plus Enhanced Datarates for GSM Evolution (“EDGE”), Code Division Multiple Access(“CDMA”), Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (“OFDMA”), highspeed packet access (“HSPA”), multi-band, etc.), any communicationsprotocol that may be used by a low power Wireless Personal Area Network(“6LoWPAN”) module, any other communications protocol, or anycombination thereof. First communications component 106 may beconfigured to enable first electronic device 100 to be electricallycoupled to one or more other electronic subsystems, electronic devices,or servers (e.g., second electronic device 200 and/or server 70 ofcommunications network 50 and/or a host computer or an accessory device)and to communicate with that other entity, either wirelessly or via awired connection.

Second communications component 116 of first electronic device 100 maybe provided to allow first electronic device 100 to communicate with oneor more other devices of first electronic subsystem 10 (e.g., a firstaccessory device 180) using any suitable wired or wirelesscommunications protocol. For example, second communications component116 may support any one or more of the protocols described above withrespect to first communications component 106. Second communicationscomponent 116 may be configured to enable first electronic device 100 tobe electrically coupled to one or more other devices of first electronicsubsystem 10 and to communicate with that other device, eitherwirelessly or via a wired connection.

Power supply 108 of first electronic device 100 may provide power to oneor more of the components of first electronic device 100. In someembodiments, power supply 108 can be coupled to a power grid (e.g., whenfirst electronic device 100 is not a portable device, such as a desktopcomputer). In some embodiments, power supply 108 can include one or morebatteries for providing power (e.g., when first electronic device 100 isa portable device, such as a cellular telephone). As another example,power supply 108 can be configured to generate power from a naturalsource (e.g., solar power using solar cells).

One or more input components 110 of first electronic device 100 may beprovided to permit a user to interact or interface with first electronicdevice 100. For example, input component 110 can take a variety offorms, including, but not limited to, a touch pad, dial, click wheel,scroll wheel, touch screen, one or more buttons (e.g., a keyboard),mouse, joy stick, track ball, microphone, camera, motion sensor,proximity sensor, light detector, and combinations thereof. Each inputcomponent 110 can be configured to provide one or more dedicated controlfunctions for making selections or issuing commands associated withoperating first electronic device 100.

First electronic device 100 may also include one or more outputcomponents that may present information (e.g., visual, audible, and/ortactile information) to a user of first electronic device 100. An outputcomponent of first electronic device 100 may take various forms,including, but not limited to, audio speakers, headphones, audiolines-out, visual displays, video lines-out, antennas, infrared ports,rumblers, vibrators, or combinations thereof.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, first electronic device 100 may includemedia playback component 112 as an output component. Media playbackcomponent 112 may include any suitable type of output interface forpresenting aural and/or visual data to a user. In some embodiments,media playback component 112 may include any suitable type of visualdisplay, including, but not limited to, a liquid crystal display(“LCD”), a light emitting diode (“LED”) display, an organiclight-emitting diode (“OLED”) display, a surface-conductionelectron-emitter display (“SED”), a carbon nanotube display, ananocrystal display, any other suitable type of display, or combinationthereof. Alternatively, media playback component 112 can include amovable display or a projecting system for providing a display ofcontent on a surface remote from first electronic device 100, such as,for example, a video projector, a head-up display, or athree-dimensional (e.g., holographic) display. As another example, mediaplayback component 112 may include a digital or mechanical viewfinder,such as a viewfinder of the type found in compact digital cameras,reflex cameras, or any other suitable still or video camera.Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, media playbackcomponent 112 may include any suitable type of aural output, including,but not limited to, a loudspeaker, a headphone, or combination thereof.In some embodiments, media playback component 112 may include drivercircuitry, circuitry for driving output drivers, or both. Media playbackcomponent 112 can be operative to output the playback media content thatmay be under the direction of processor 102 to an environment externalto first electronic device 100 for receipt by a user.

It should be noted that one or more input components 110 and one or moreoutput components 112 may sometimes be referred to collectively hereinas an input/output (“I/O”) component or I/O interface (e.g., inputcomponent 110 and display 112 as I/O component or I/O interface 111).For example, input component 110 and media playback component 112 maysometimes be a single I/O component 111, such as a touch screen, thatmay receive input information through a user's touch of a display screenand that may also provide visual information to a user via that samedisplay screen.

Sensor 114 of first electronic device 100 may include any suitablesensor that may be operative to determine the value of one or morecharacteristics of played back media that may be detected in theenvironment of first electronic device 100. For example, sensor 114 maybe a microphone or any other suitable audio sensor that may beconfigured to detect the value of one or more characteristics of playedback audio media, such as the volume level, the spectral content, andthe like. Additionally or alternatively, sensor 114 may be a lightsensor or any other suitable video sensor that may be configured todetect the value of one or more characteristics of played back videomedia, such as the brightness level, white point, the spectral content,and the like.

Processor 102 of first electronic device 100 may include any processingcircuitry that may be operative to control the operations andperformance of one or more components of first electronic device 100.For example, processor 102 may receive input signals from inputcomponent 110 and/or drive output signals through media playbackcomponent 112. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, processor 102may be used to run one or more applications, such as an application 103.Application 103 may include, but is not limited to, one or moreoperating system applications, firmware applications, media playbackapplications, media editing applications, or any other suitableapplications. For example, processor 102 may load application 103 as auser interface program to determine how instructions or data receivedvia an input component 110 or other component of device 100 maymanipulate the way in which information is stored and/or provided to theuser via an output component 112 (e.g., media playback component 112).Application 103 may be accessed by processor 102 from any suitablesource, such as from memory 104 (e.g., via bus 118), from secondelectronic subsystem 20 (e.g., via communications set-up 55 and firstcommunications component 106) or from server 70 of communicationsnetwork 50 (e.g., via first communications component 106), or from anyother suitable source.

First electronic device 100 may also be provided with a housing 101 thatmay at least partially enclose one or more of the components of firstelectronic device 100 for protection from debris and other degradingforces external to first electronic device 100. In some embodiments, oneor more of the components of first electronic device 100 may be providedwithin its own housing (e.g., input component 110 may be an independentkeyboard or mouse within its own housing that may wirelessly or througha wire communicate with processor 102, which may be provided within itsown housing).

As also shown in FIG. 1, for example, second electronic device 200 ofsecond electronic subsystem 20 may include a processor 202, memory 204,first communications component 206, power supply 208, input component210, media playback component 212, sensor 214, and second communicationscomponent 216. In some embodiments, input component 210 and mediaplayback component 212 of second electronic device 200 may sometimes bea single I/O interface or I/O component 211. Second electronic device200 may also include a housing 201 as well as a bus 218 that may provideone or more wired or wireless communications links or paths fortransferring data and/or power to, from, or between various othercomponents of second electronic device 200. As also shown in FIG. 1,processor 202 may be used to run an application 203 that may include,but is not limited to, one or more operating system applications,firmware applications, media playback applications, media editingapplications, or any other suitable applications. Application 203 may beaccessed by processor 202 from any suitable source, such as from memory204 (e.g., via bus 218), from first electronic subsystem 10 or fromserver 70 of communications network 50 (e.g., via communications set-up55 and first communications component 206), or from any other suitablesource. In some embodiments, one or more components of second electronicdevice 200 may be combined or omitted. Moreover, second electronicdevice 200 may include other components not combined or included in FIG.1 and/or several instances of the components shown in FIG. 1. For thesake of simplicity, only one of each of the components of secondelectronic device 200 is shown in FIG. 1.

Each one of housing 201, processor 202, application 203, memory 204,first communications component 206, power supply 208, input component210, I/O component 211, media playback component 212, sensor 214, secondcommunications component 216, and bus 218 of second electronic device200 may be the same as or substantially similar to a respective one ofhousing 101, processor 102, application 103, memory 104, firstcommunications component 106, power supply 108, input component 110, I/Ocomponent 111, media playback component 112, sensor 114, secondcommunications component 116, and bus 118 of first electronic device 100and, therefore, may not be independently described in greater detail.While, in some embodiments, first electronic device 100 and secondelectronic device 200 may be the same or substantially similar devices,in other embodiments, first electronic device 100 may have one or moredifferent and/or additional components that second electronic device 200does not have, and vice versa.

In some embodiments, first communications component 106 of firstelectronic device 100 and first communications component 206 of secondelectronic device 200 may communicate with one another directly, suchas, for example, via a shared communications link 51 of communicationsset-up 55. Shared communications link 51 may include one or more wiredand/or wireless communications links or paths for transferring anysuitable data and/or power between first electronic device 100 andsecond electronic device 200. Alternatively or additionally, in someembodiments, system 1 may include communications network 50, with whichone or both of first electronic device 100 and second electronic device200 may communicate. For example, a first electronic devicecommunications link 61 of communications set-up 55 may include one ormore wired and/or wireless communications links or paths fortransferring any suitable data and/or power between first communicationscomponent 106 of first electronic device 100 and communications network50. Similarly, a second electronic device communications link 71 ofcommunications set-up 55 may include one or more wired and/or wirelesscommunications links or paths for transferring any suitable data and/orpower between first communications component 206 of second electronicdevice 200 and communications network 50. In some embodiments, as analternative or in addition to communicating with one another directlyvia shared communications link 51, first electronic device 100 andsecond electronic device 200 may communicate with one another viacommunications network 50 and communications links 61 and 71.

Any suitable circuitry, device, system, or combination of these (e.g., awireless communications infrastructure including one or morecommunications towers, telecommunications servers, or the like)operative to create a communications network may be used to providecommunications network 50. Communications network 50 may be capable ofproviding communications using any suitable wired or wirelesscommunications protocol. For example, communications network 50 maysupport Wi-Fi (e.g., an 802.11 protocol), ZigBee (e.g., an 802.15.4protocol), WiDi™, Ethernet, Bluetooth™, BLE, high frequency systems(e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), infrared,TCP/IP, SCTP, DHCP, HTTP, BitTorrent™, FTP, RTP, RTSP, RTCP, RAOP, RDTP,UDP, SSH, WDS-bridging, any communications protocol that may be used bywireless and cellular telephones and personal e-mail devices (e.g., GSM,GSM plus EDGE, CDMA, OFDMA, HSPA, multi-band, etc.), any communicationsprotocol that may be used by a low power Wireless Personal Area Network(“6LoWPAN”) module, any other communications protocol, or anycombination thereof.

Moreover, in some embodiments, communications network 50 may include oneor more servers 70 or any other suitable components (e.g., any suitablecloud computing components) that may communicate with first electronicdevice 100 and/or second electronic device 200 via communicationsnetwork 50. In some embodiments, server 70 may be a source of one ormore files, applications, media, or any other suitable resource (e.g.,application 103 and/or application 203) that may be provided to andutilized by first electronic device 100 and/or second electronic device200. For example, server 70 may be configured as a media store that mayprovide first electronic device 100 and/or second electronic device 200with various resources or media items including, but not limited to,audio media files, video media files, text files, graphical objectfiles, various other multimedia files, various applications (e.g., amedia playback balancing application), various types of metadata orplayback control data (e.g., data that may at least partially dictatethe volume, brightness, white point, or value of any other playbackcharacteristic of media to be played back by subsystem 10 and/orsubsystem 20), and the like. An example of such a media store that maybe provided by server 70 may be the iTunes™ Store and/or the App Store™,each of which is made available by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.

It should be noted that any mechanism or combination of mechanisms forenabling communication between first communications component 106 offirst electronic device 100 and first communications component 206 ofsecond electronic device 200 may sometimes be referred to collectivelyherein as a communications set-up. For example, as shown in FIG. 1,shared communications link 51, first electronic device communicationslink 61, second electronic device communications link 71, communicationsnetwork 50, and/or server 70 may be referred to individually and/orcollectively as communications set-up 55.

System 1 may be configured in various ways and may include variouscombinations of various devices while still providing a consistent userexperience when transitioning media playback between multiple electronicdevices (e.g., while still providing a consistent experience for a userproximate to first electronic subsystem 10 as the playback of media isswitched from first electronic subsystem 10 to second electronicsubsystem 20). For example, in some embodiments, first electronicsubsystem 10 may only include first electronic device 100 without anyaccessory device (e.g., without first accessory device 180, described inmore detail below) and second electronic subsystem 20 may only includesecond electronic device 200 without any accessory device (e.g., withoutsecond accessory device 280, described in more detail below).

In such embodiments, first electronic device 100 may include anysuitable device that may be configured to playback media and determine afirst value of a playback characteristic of the media played back byfirst electronic device 100 that may be detected in the environment offirst electronic device 100 at a first moment in time before a mediaplayback transition. First electronic device 100 may also be configuredto share certain initial information with second electronic device 200for dictating an initial value of the playback characteristic for mediainitially played back by second electronic device 200 at a second momentin time initially after the media playback transition. Moreover, firstelectronic device 100 may also be configured to determine a second valueof the playback characteristic of the media initially played back bysecond electronic device 200 that may be detected in the environment offirst electronic device 100 at a third moment in time after the mediaplayback transition, and then share certain adjustment information withsecond electronic device 200 based on the determined first and secondvalues for dictating an adjusted value of the playback characteristicfor media played back by second electronic device 200 at a fourth momentin time after the media playback transition. While, in such embodiments,second electronic device 200 to initially playback media with a certaininitial playback characteristic value based on the shared initialinformation and then adjust the playback characteristic value of themedia played back by second electronic device 200 based on the sharedadjustment information. For example, in such embodiments, firstelectronic device 100 may be any suitable device having media playbackcomponent 112, media sensor 114, and first communications component 106that can share information via communications set-up 55 with firstcommunications component 206 of second electronic device 200, which mayalso include media playback component 212 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 2 and3).

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a first device control system 301 offirst electronic device 100 that may be provided to at least partiallycontrol not only the playback of media by first electronic device 100but also the playback of media by second electronic device 200 during amedia playback transition of system 1. For example, in some embodiments,first device control system 301 may at least partially dictate the valueof one or more media playback characteristics of media being played backby media playback component 112 of first electronic device 100 before amedia playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10 to secondelectronic subsystem 20. Moreover, in some embodiments, first devicecontrol system 301 may also at least partially dictate the value of oneor more media playback characteristics of media being played back bymedia playback component 212 of second electronic device 200 after themedia playback transition (e.g., based on a media playbackcharacteristic value sensed by first device control system 301). Thismay enable a consistent user experience for a user within system 1 whenthe playback of media is transitioned from first electronic subsystem 10to second electronic subsystem 20 (e.g., a user who is proximate tofirst electronic subsystem 10 within system 1). For example, as shown inFIG. 3, a user U of system 1 may be holding first electronic device 100of subsystem 10 at a first location L1 while second electronic device200 of second subsystem 20 may be positioned on a stationary table T ata second location L2 that may be separated from first location L1 by adistance D, and first device control system 301 of first electronicdevice 100 may be configured to dictate and sense media playbackcharacteristic values of media 121 played back by first electronicdevice 100 as well as sense and dictate media playback characteristicvalues of media 221 played back by second electronic device 200.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, first device control system 301 offirst electronic device 100 may include a media playback module 302 thatmay be configured to receive media for playback from one or more mediasources. Media playback module 302 may also be configured to receiveplayback control data from one or more control sources. Moreover, mediaplayback module 302 may also be configured to process such receivedmedia and such received control data in order to provide controlledmedia information to media playback component 112 for output to a userof first electronic subsystem 10.

Media playback module 302 may receive media for playback from variousmedia sources accessible to first electronic device 100. For example, asshown in FIG. 2, media playback module 302 may receive stored media 303for playback from a stored media source 304, which may be a source ofmedia local to first electronic device 100 (e.g., media source 304 maybe memory 104 of first electronic device 100 and stored media 303 may beany suitable media stored thereon). As another example, media playbackmodule 302 may receive first streamed media 305 for playback from anysuitable streaming media source accessible via first communicationscomponent 106 from communications set-up 55 (e.g., server 70 or secondelectronic device 200 may be a streaming media source that may providefirst streamed media 305 to media playback module 302 of firstelectronic device 100). The received media may be any suitable media forplayback by first electronic device 100, such as video media, audiomedia, graphical media, and the like.

Media playback module 302 may receive playback control data from variouscontrol sources accessible to first electronic device 100. For example,as shown, media playback module 302 may receive inputted playbackcontrol data 307 from input component 110 of first electronic device 100(e.g., inputted playback control data 307 may be determined by a user'sinteraction with a user interface of first electronic device 100, suchas a user's pressing of a “volume up” button 110 of first electronicdevice 100). As another example, as shown in FIG. 2, media playbackmodule 302 may receive stored control data 319 from a stored controldata source 308, which may be a source of control data local to firstelectronic device 100 (e.g., control data source 308 may be memory 104of first electronic device 100 and stored control data 319 may be anysuitable control data stored thereon). Therefore, such playback controldata may be based on the one or more applications being run by firstelectronic device 100 (e.g., application 103) and/or based on any inputinstructions being received by first electronic device 100 (e.g., viainput component 110). The received playback control data may be anysuitable instructions for controlling the value of any suitable mediaplayback characteristic, such as the volume level of played back audiomedia, the brightness or white point of played back video media, and/orthe spectral content of the played back media.

Media playback module 302 may process the received media and thereceived playback control data to generate and transmit controlled mediainformation to media playback component 112 for output to a user offirst electronic device 100. For example, as shown, regardless of thesource or type of media received by media playback module 302, andregardless of the source or type of playback control data received bymedia playback module 302, controlled media information 309 may begenerated by media playback module 302 and transmitted to media playbackcomponent 112. This controlled media information 309 may be received bymedia playback component 112 and may be outputted by media playbackcomponent 112 as first played back media 121, which may be experiencedby a user of first electronic device 100 (e.g., a user may hear firstplayed back audio media 121 via a loud speaker media playback component112 and/or a user may see first played back video media 121 via adisplay media play back component 112). Media playback module 302 maycontinuously update controlled media information 309 with differentplayback control data as new playback control data is received by mediaplayback module 302, such that the value of one or more playbackcharacteristics of first played back media 121 may be continuouslychanged during playback of media to a user using first electronic device100.

As mentioned, at some point, system 1 may be configured to transitionthe playback of media from first electronic subsystem 10 to secondelectronic subsystem 20 (e.g., from first electronic device 100 tosecond electronic device 200). So that the value of at least oneplayback characteristic of the media played back by first electronicsubsystem 10 before the transition may be maintained (e.g., at aparticular location of first electronic subsystem 10) for the mediaplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 after the transition,first device control system 301 of first electronic device 100 may alsobe configured to determine the value of a media playback characteristicof first played back media 121 before the transition, and then at leastpartially dictate the value of that media playback characteristic forsecond played back media 221 being played back by media playbackcomponent 212 of second electronic device 200 after the transition. Thismay provide for a consistent user experience for a user proximate tofirst electronic subsystem 10 within system 1 (e.g., user U that may becarrying first electronic device 100 within a space that may alsoinclude second electronic device 200 on table T, as shown in FIG. 3).

A media playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10 to secondelectronic subsystem 20 may be initiated in response to any suitablemedia playback transition initiation event. For example, a transitioninitiation event may be an instruction received by first electronicdevice 100 from a user via input component 110, from second electronicdevice 200, from server 70, or from any other suitable source. Forexample, a transition initiation event may occur in response to a userof first electronic device 100 requesting via input component 110 thatmedia be played back from second electronic subsystem 20 rather thanfirst electronic subsystem 10. Alternatively, a transition initiationevent may occur automatically in response to system 1 detecting thatfirst electronic subsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20 arewithin a certain distance of one another (e.g., automatically once userU carries first electronic device 100 within a particular distance D ofsecond electronic device 200, such as automatically once a userlistening to music on his portable media player device 100 gets in hiscar equipped with a car stereo subsystem 20). Therefore, such a mediaplayback transition initiation event may be provided based on one ormore applications being run by first electronic device 100 (e.g.,application 103), based on any input instructions being received byfirst electronic device 100 (e.g., via input component 110), based onone or more applications being run by second electronic device 200(e.g., application 203), based on any input instructions being receivedby second electronic device 200 (e.g., via input component 210), basedon any instruction generated by server 70, or any combination thereof.

A media playback transition initiation event may occur at any suitabletime. For example, a transition initiation event may occur while mediais being played back by first electronic subsystem 10 (e.g., while firstplayed back media 121 is being output by media playback component 110)or after media has stopped being played back by first electronicsubsystem 10 (e.g., after the completion of first played back media 121being outputted by media playback component 110). Media being playedback by first electronic subsystem 10 before the transition (e.g., firstplayed back media 121) and media being played back by second electronicsubsystem 20 after the transition (e.g., second played back media 221)may be accessed from the same media source or different media sources.In response to a media playback transition initiation event, system 1may be configured to initiate the playback of media at second electronicsubsystem 20 (e.g., the playback of second played back media 221outputted from media playback component 212 of second electronic device200 may be initiated). Moreover, in some embodiments, in response to amedia playback transition initiation event, system 1 may be configuredto terminate the playback of media at first electronic subsystem 20(e.g., the playback of first played back media 121 outputted from mediaplayback component 112 of first electronic device 100 may beterminated).

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, first device control system 301 offirst electronic device 100 may also include a media transition module306 that may be configured to determine a first playback characteristicvalue of media played back by first electronic subsystem 10 before amedia playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10 to secondelectronic subsystem 20. Media transition module 306 may also beconfigured to dictate an initial playback characteristic value of mediaplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 after the media playbacktransition. Moreover, media transition module 306 may also be configuredto determine a second playback characteristic value of media played backby second electronic subsystem 20 after the media playback transitionand then dictate an adjustment to the playback characteristic value ofthe media played back by second electronic subsystem 20 based on thedetermined first and second playback characteristic values.

Media transition module 306 may determine a first playbackcharacteristic value of media played back by first electronic subsystem10 before a media playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10to second electronic subsystem 20. For example, as shown, mediatransition module 306 may be configured to receive first sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 311 from sensor 114 of first electronic device100. First sensed playback characteristic value data 311 may begenerated by sensor 114 based on the sensed value of a playbackcharacteristic of first played back media 121 before a media playbacktransition. For example, sensor 114 may be a microphone configured tosense the volume of first played back audio media 121 and transmit firstsensed playback characteristic value data 311 indicative of that sensedvolume to media transition module 306. As another example, sensor 114may be a light sensor configured to sense the brightness or white pointor any other suitable characteristic of first played back video media121 and transmit first sensed playback characteristic value data 311indicative of that sensed brightness or white point or any othersuitable characteristic to media transition module 306.

Additionally or alternatively, media transition module 306 may beconfigured to receive first internal playback characteristic value data313 from within first device control system 301. For example, firstinternal playback characteristic value data 313 may be internallygenerated by media playback module 302 based on a playbackcharacteristic value of controlled media information 309 before a mediaplayback transition. For example, media playback module 302 may beconfigured to determine what a sensed playback characteristic value ofcontrolled media information 309 would be when outputted by mediaplayback component 112 without requiring that value to be physicallysensed by sensor 114 (e.g., media playback module 302 may leverage knowncontrolled media information 309 with known characteristics of mediaplayback component 112 to internally determine a playback characteristicvalue of first played back media 121 outputted by component 112 andthereby generate first internal playback characteristic value data 313).

Media transition module 306 may be configured to determine at least afirst playback characteristic value of first played back media 121played back by first electronic subsystem 10 at any suitable time (e.g.,using received first sensed playback characteristic value data 311and/or received first internal playback characteristic value data 313).For example, in response to first electronic subsystem 10 detecting amedia playback transition initiation event from any suitable componentof system 1, media transition module 306 may be configured to determinethe most recent playback characteristic value of first played back media121 played back by first electronic subsystem 10 based on the mostrecently received first sensed playback characteristic value data 311and/or the most recently received first internal playback characteristicvalue data 313. Such playback characteristic value data may beconfigured to be generated and transmitted to media transition module306 on a frequent basis so that the playback characteristic value datamost recently received by media transition module 306 may be indicativeof at least the first playback characteristic value of the current ormost recently played back media 121.

Media transition module 306 may also be configured to dictate an initialplayback characteristic value of media played back by second electronicsubsystem 20 after the media playback transition (e.g., in response tofirst electronic subsystem 10 detecting a media playback transitioninitiation event from any suitable component of system 1). For example,as shown, media transition module 306 may be configured to generate andtransmit shared initial playback control data 315 to second electronicsubsystem 20 (e.g., using communications set-up 55 via firstcommunications component 106). Shared initial playback control data 315may be generated by media transition module 306 based on various factorsand may be received by second electronic subsystem 20 to dictate howsecond electronic subsystem 20 initially plays back second played backmedia 221 in response to the media playback transition.

Media transition module 306 may receive information from various sourcesand may generate appropriate shared initial playback control data 315 inresponse to analyzing the received information. For example, in someembodiments, media transition module 306 may generate shared initialplayback control data 315 at least partially based on a first playbackcharacteristic value of first played back media 121 played back by firstelectronic subsystem 10 (e.g., based on received first sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 311 and/or received first internal playbackcharacteristic value data 313). That is, shared initial playback controldata 315 may be determined at least in part by the most recent playbackcharacteristic value of first played back media 121 played back by firstelectronic subsystem 10 before the media playback transition, such thata playback characteristic value of second played back media 221 that maybe initially played back by second electronic subsystem 20 after themedia playback transition may be at least partially dictated by (e.g.,similar to) the value of that playback characteristic of first playedback media 121 played back by first electronic subsystem 10 before themedia playback transition. For example, media transition module 306 maybe configured to generate shared initial playback control data 315 thatmay be utilized by second electronic subsystem 20 to output secondplayed back media 221 with a playback characteristic value substantiallyequal to or otherwise related to a first playback characteristic valueof first played back media 121 played back by first electronic subsystem10 (e.g., based on received first sensed playback characteristic valuedata 311 and/or received first internal playback characteristic valuedata 313). This may help enable a consistent user experience for a userof system 1 experiencing the media during the media playback transition.

Alternatively or additionally, media transition module 306 may generateshared initial playback control data 315 at least partially based on oneor more characteristics of an ambient condition A sensed within system 1during the media playback transition. Ambient condition A may be anycondition (e.g., sound and/or light) in the environment of system 1 thatis not generated by a media playback component. For example, ambientcondition A may be generated by user U or any other entity that may bepresent within the environment of system 1 (e.g., user U may beutilizing system 1 at a party where the user wishes to playback musicfrom a stereo second electronic device 200 rather than from a portablemedia player first electronic device 100, and where ambient condition Amay be conversational audio noise generated by the attendees of theparty). As shown in FIG. 2, for example, media transition module 306 maybe configured to receive sensed ambient characteristic value data 317from sensor 114 of first electronic device 100. Sensed ambientcharacteristic value data 317 may be generated by sensor 114 based onthe sensed value of a characteristic of ambient condition A during amedia playback transition. For example, sensor 114 may be a microphoneconfigured to sense the volume of an audio component of ambientcondition A (e.g., speech S from user U of FIG. 3) and transmit sensedambient characteristic value data 317 indicative of that sensed volumeto media transition module 306. As another example, sensor 114 may be alight sensor configured to sense the brightness or white point or anyother suitable characteristic of a light component of ambient conditionA (e.g., a light source G of FIG. 3) and transmit sensed ambientcharacteristic value data 317 indicative of that sensed brightness orwhite point or any other suitable characteristic to media transitionmodule 306.

Media transition module 306 may be configured to determine one or morecharacteristics of an ambient condition A at any suitable time (e.g.,using received sensed ambient characteristic value data 317). Forexample, in response to first electronic subsystem 10 detecting a mediaplayback transition initiation event from any suitable component ofsystem 1, media transition module 306 may be configured to determinesensed ambient characteristic value data 317 just before secondelectronic subsystem 20 initiates media playback of second played backmedia 221 in accordance with the media playback transition. In someembodiments, media transition module 306 may be configured to determinesensed ambient characteristic value data 317 just after first electronicdevice 100 terminates media playback of first played back media 121 andjust before second electronic device 20 initiates media playback ofsecond played back media 221 in accordance with the media playbacktransition. This may enable system 1 to determine the ambient conditionsin system 1 that exist during the media playback transition but that arenot generated by a media playback component of system 1. Mediatransition module 306 may generate shared initial playback control data315 at least partially based on sensed ambient characteristic value data317 such that a playback characteristic value of second played backmedia 221 initially played back by second electronic subsystem 20 afterthe media playback transition may take into account any ambientconditions in system 1.

In some embodiments, media transition module 306 may generate sharedinitial playback control data 315 based on sensed ambient characteristicvalue data 317 during the transition as well as based on playbackcharacteristic value data of first played back media 121 played back byfirst electronic subsystem 10 before the transition (e.g., based onfirst sensed playback characteristic value data 311 and/or firstinternal playback characteristic value data 313). For example, mediatransition module 306 may generate shared initial playback control data315 to be the aggregate of sensed ambient characteristic value data 317and first sensed playback characteristic value data 311 or the aggregateof sensed ambient characteristic value data 317 and first internalplayback characteristic value data 313. This may enable the initialplayback characteristic value of second played back media 221 outputtedby second electronic subsystem 20 after the transition to be equal tothe sum of the playback characteristic value of first played back media121 played back by first electronic subsystem 10 as determined by firstelectronic device 100 just before the transition and the characteristicvalue of ambient condition A as determined by first electronic device100 during the transition.

Alternatively or additionally, media transition module 306 may generateshared initial playback control data 315 at least partially based on oneor more stored settings. For example, as shown, media transition module306 may receive stored playback control data 319 from stored controldata source 308, which may be any source of stored control dataaccessible to media transition module 306. In some embodiments, storedcontrol data source 308 may be memory 104 of first electronic device 100and stored playback control data 319 may be any suitable playbackcontrol data stored thereon. Alternatively, stored control data source308 may be provided to media transition module 306 by server 70 orsecond electronic subsystem 20 via communications set-up 55 and firstcommunications component 106.

Stored playback control data 319 may be any suitable control data thatmay be defined independent of any current sensed playback characteristicvalue of system 1, but may be defined based on predetermined orpredefined settings of system 1. In some embodiments, stored playbackcontrol data 319 may be a value (e.g., a value of a playbackcharacteristic) that has been previously defined by a user of system 1and that may be used by media transition module 306 for generatingshared initial playback control data 315. For example, user U of firstelectronic device 100 may define stored playback control data 319 with aspecific value (e.g., a zero or “mute” value) that be used by mediatransition module 306 for generating shared initial playback controldata 315 that may dictate a specific playback characteristic value forsecond played back media 221 that may be initially outputted by secondelectronic subsystem 20 (e.g., a specific playback characteristic valuethat may initially zero or mute the media played back by secondelectronic device 200). That is, stored playback control data 319 may beused by media transition module 306 for generating shared initialplayback control data 315 that may cause second played back media 221initially outputted by second electronic subsystem 20 to be mute (e.g.,to have a zero value for its loudness playback characteristic).

Additionally or alternatively, stored playback control data 319 may be avalue that is determined based on specific calendar data or otherapplication data (e.g., text message or e-mail data from a messagingapplication) accessible by system 1. For example, if a calendarapplication of first electronic device 100 indicates that user U is at aparty at a specific location during the transition initiation event,then a value for stored playback control data 319 that may be specificto a party at that location may be used by media transition module 306for generating shared initial playback control data 315 appropriate fora party at that specific location. As another example, if a calendarapplication of first electronic device 100 indicates that it is aspecific time of day during the transition initiation event, then avalue for stored playback control data 319 that may be specific to thattime of day may be used by media transition module 306 for generatingshared initial playback control data 315 appropriate for that time ofday. Therefore, stored playback control data 319 may be indicative ofany suitable data that may at least partially dictate the value ofshared initial playback control data 315 based on any suitable conditionand/or any suitable application being run by system 1.

Alternatively or additionally, media transition module 306 may generateshared initial playback control data 315 at least partially based on thevalue of any appropriate relationship between first electronic subsystem10 and second electronic subsystem 20 within system 1. For example, asshown, media transition module 306 may receive relationship playbackcontrol data 321 from a relationship data source 310, which may be anysource of control data accessible to media transition module 306. Insome embodiments, relationship data source 310 may be memory 104 offirst electronic device 100 and relationship playback control data 321may be any suitable playback control data stored thereon. Alternativelyor additionally, relationship data source 310 may be provided to mediatransition module 306 by server 70 or second electronic subsystem 20 viacommunications set-up 55 and first communications component 106.

Relationship playback control data 321 may be any suitable control datathat may be defined based on the value of any appropriate relationshipcharacteristic between first electronic subsystem 10 and secondelectronic subsystem 20. For example, relationship playback control data321 may be control data determined by the value of a distance betweenfirst electronic subsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20 duringthe transition (e.g., the length of distance D between location L1 ofuser U and first electronic subsystem 10 and location L2 of table T andsecond electronic subsystem 20 of FIG. 3). Such distance relationshipplayback control data 321 may be generated by relationship data source310 using various pieces of information that may be accessed fromvarious sources. For example, server 70 may be able to determinelocations L1 and L2 based on information shared by each subsystem withserver 70 (e.g., global positioning system (“GPS”) data), and server 70may be able to send this information to relationship data source 310 asfirst server relationship data 323. Then relationship data source 310may be able to leverage this first server relationship data 323 todetermine distance D for generating relationship playback control data321. Alternatively, second electronic subsystem 20 may be able todetermine its own location L2 (e.g., using a location sensor of secondelectronic device 200), and second electronic subsystem 20 may be ableto send this information to relationship data source 310 as secondsubsystem relationship data 325 (e.g., via communications set-up 55).Then relationship data source 310 may be able to leverage this secondsubsystem relationship data 325 with location L1 information determinedlocally by first electronic device 100 to determine distance D forgenerating relationship playback control data 321.

Relationship playback control data 321 that is indicative of a knowndistance between subsystems 10 and 20 of system 1 may be taken intoaccount by media transition module 306 when determining shared initialplayback control data 315. This may enable a consistent user experiencefor user U during the media playback transition. For example, sharedinitial playback control data 315 that dictates the initial volumeplayback characteristic value of second played back audio media 221initially outputted by second electronic subsystem 20 may be at leastpartially based on such relationship playback control data 321 so thatthe initial volume playback characteristic value of second played backaudio media 221 may be proportional to the distance D between subsystems10 and 20. This may enable the volume of second played back audio media221 initially outputted by second subsystem 20 after the transition tobe loud enough to traverse a long distance D (or quiet enough totraverse a short distance D) from second subsystem location L2 to user Uat first subsystem location L1, such that the volume of that secondplayed back audio media 221 when it reaches L1 (e.g., sensor 114) may besimilar to the volume of first played back audio media 121 outputted byfirst electronic subsystem 10 before the transition (e.g., as determinedby first sensed playback characteristic value data 311 and/or firstinternal playback characteristic value data 313).

Relationship playback control data 321 may be any suitable control datathat may be defined based on the value of any relationshipcharacteristic between first electronic subsystem 10 and secondelectronic subsystem 20 other than distance. For example, relationshipplayback control data 321 may be control data determined by the value ofan orientation between first electronic subsystem 10 and secondelectronic subsystem 20 during the transition. An orientation betweenfirst electronic subsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20 may bean angle or any other suitable orientation value that may be determinedusing one or more sensors of system 1, such as a compass or gyroscopesensor of first electronic subsystem 10 and/or a compass or gyroscope ofsecond electronic subsystem 20. Such an orientation value may bedistinct from and independent of any distance value between firstelectronic subsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20. For example,in a first embodiment of system 1, as shown in FIG. 3A, there may be adistance D′ between location L1 of user U and first electronic subsystem10 and location L2 of table T and second electronic subsystem 20, whilea directionality 114′ of sensor 114 may be facing directly towards adirectionality 212′ of media playback component 212 (e.g., along theX-axis of FIG. 3A). Comparatively, in a second embodiment of system 1,as shown in FIG. 3B, there may be a distance D″ between location L1 ofuser U and first electronic subsystem 10 and location L2 of table T andsecond electronic subsystem 20, while a directionality 114″ of sensor114 may be facing directly away from a directionality 212″ of mediaplayback component 212 (e.g., along the X-axis of FIG. 3B). While thedistance D′ may be equal to the distance D″ (e.g., 20 feet), theorientation between directionality 114′ and directionality 212′ may be apolar opposite of the orientation between directionality 114″ anddirectionality 212″ (e.g., 0° versus 180°). Directionality may refer tothe polar pattern or sensitivity or orientation or any other suitablecharacteristic of a sensor or media playback component.

Such orientation relationship playback control data 321 may be generatedby relationship data source 310 using various pieces of information thatmay be accessed from various sources. For example, server 70 may be ableto determine directionalities of a sensor and a media playback componentbased on information shared by each subsystem with server 70 (e.g.,global positioning system (“GPS”) data), and server 70 may be able tosend this information to relationship data source 310 as first serverrelationship data 323. Then relationship data source 310 may be able toleverage this first server relationship data 323 to determine anorientation between first electronic subsystem 10 and second electronicsubsystem 20 for generating relationship playback control data 321.Alternatively, second electronic subsystem 20 may be able to determineits own directionality (e.g., using an orientation sensor of secondelectronic device 200, such as a compass), and second electronicsubsystem 20 may be able to send this information to relationship datasource 310 as second subsystem relationship data 325 (e.g., viacommunications set-up 55). Then relationship data source 310 may be ableto leverage this second subsystem relationship data 325 with its owndirectionality information determined locally by first electronic device100 to determine orientation information between first electronicsubsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20 for generatingrelationship playback control data 321.

Relationship playback control data 321 may be defined based on any othersuitable relationship between first electronic subsystem 10 and secondelectronic subsystem 20 besides separation distance or orientation. Forexample, relationship playback control data 321 may be indicative of arelationship between a specific type of sensor of first electronicsubsystem 10 (e.g., sensor 114) and a specific type of media playbackcomponent of second electronic subsystem 20 (e.g., media playbackcomponent 212). This may enable any known responses (e.g., frequencyresponses) by a particular sensor to media played back by a particularplayback component to be taken into account by media transition module306 when determining shared initial playback control data 315.

Therefore, media transition module 306 may generate shared initialplayback control data 315 at least partially based on one or more offirst sensed playback characteristic value data 311, first internalplayback characteristic value data 313, sensed ambient characteristicvalue data 317, stored playback control data 319, relationship playbackcontrol data 321, and any combination thereof. This shared initialplayback control data 315 may then be transmitted by media transitionmodule 306 to second electronic subsystem 20 for at least partiallydictating at least one playback characteristic value of second playedback media 221 initially outputted by second electronic subsystem 20after the transition. In other embodiments, media transition module 306may not transmit any shared initial playback control data 315 to secondelectronic subsystem 20. Instead, various other sources of control datathat may be generated internally by second electronic subsystem 20and/or by server 70 may be used by system 1 to dictate a playbackcharacteristic value of second played back media 221 initially outputtedby second electronic subsystem 20 after the media playback transition.For example, as described below, inputted playback control data 407 frominput component 210 of second electronic device 200 (e.g., a user'ssetting of a volume control knob 210 of second electronic device 200)and/or internal data sources of second electronic device 200 (e.g.,predetermined control data stored in memory 204) may alone dictate aplayback characteristic value of second played back media 221 initiallyoutputted by second electronic subsystem 20 after the media playbacktransition.

FIG. 2 also shows a schematic view of a second device control system 401of second electronic device 200 that may be provided to at leastpartially control the playback of media by second electronic device 200.For example, in some embodiments, second device control system 401 mayat least partially dictate the value of one or more media playbackcharacteristics of media being played back by media playback component212 of second electronic device 200 (e.g., based on shared initialplayback control data 315 that may be received by first electronicsubsystem 10). This may enable a consistent user experience for a userproximate to first electronic subsystem 10 within system 1 when theplayback of media is transitioned from first electronic subsystem 10 tosecond electronic subsystem 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, second device control system 401 ofsecond electronic device 200 may include a media playback module 402that may be configured to receive media for playback from one or moremedia sources. Media playback module 402 may also be configured toreceive playback control data from one or more control sources.Moreover, media playback module 402 may also be configured to processsuch received media and such received control data in order to providecontrolled media information to media playback component 212 for outputto a user of system 1.

Media playback module 402 may receive media for playback from variousmedia sources accessible to second electronic device 200. For example,as shown, media playback module 402 may receive stored media 403 forplayback from stored media source 404, which may be a source of medialocal to second electronic device 200 (e.g., media source 404 may bememory 204 of second electronic device 200 and stored media 403 may beany suitable media stored thereon). As another example, media playbackmodule 402 may receive second streamed media 405 for playback from anysuitable streaming media source accessible by first communicationscomponent 206 from communications set-up 55 (e.g., server 70 may be astreaming media source that may provide second streamed media 405 tomedia playback module 402 of second electronic device 200). In someembodiments, second streamed media 405 may be the same as first streamedmedia 305, and both first streamed media 305 and second streamed media405 may be provided by the same streaming media source (e.g., server70). As yet another example, media playback module 402 may receive astream of stored media 303 for playback from stored media source 304 offirst electronic device 100 (e.g., via communications set-up 55). Themedia received by media playback module 402 may be any suitable mediafor playback by second electronic device 200, such as video media, audiomedia, graphical media, and the like.

Media playback module 402 may receive playback control data from variouscontrol sources accessible to second electronic device 200. For example,as shown, media playback module 402 may receive inputted playbackcontrol data 407 from input component 210 of second electronic device200 (e.g., inputted playback control data 407 may be determined by auser's interaction with a user interface of second electronic device200, such as a user's pressing of a “volume up” button 210 of secondelectronic device 200). As another example, media playback module 402may receive inputted playback control data from internal data sources ofsecond electronic device 200 (e.g., predetermined control data stored inmemory 204). Therefore, such playback control data may be based on theone or more applications being run by second electronic device 200(e.g., application 203) and/or based on any input instructions beingreceived by second electronic device 200 (e.g., via input component210). Moreover, as described above, first electronic subsystem 10 maygenerate and transmit shared initial playback control data 315 to mediaplayback module 402 of second electronic subsystem 20 for at leastpartially dictating an initial playback characteristic value of mediaplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 in response to a mediaplayback transition. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, media playbackmodule 402 may receive shared initial playback control data 315 fromfirst electronic subsystem 10 via communications set-up 55 and firstcommunications component 206. The playback control data received bymedia playback module 402 may be any suitable instructions that can beutilized for controlling the value of any suitable media playbackcharacteristic of media played back by second electronic subsystem 20,such as the volume level of played back audio media, the brightness orwhite point of played back video media, and/or the spectral content ofthe played back media.

Media playback module 402 may process the received media and thereceived playback control data to generate and transmit controlled mediainformation to media playback component 212 for output to a user ofsystem 1 (e.g., user U). For example, as shown, controlled mediainformation 409 may be generated by media playback module 402 andtransmitted to media playback component 212 based on the media andplayback control data received by media playback module 402. Thiscontrolled media information 409 may be received by media playbackcomponent 212 and may be outputted by media playback component 212 asinitial second played back media 221, which may be experienced by a userof system 1 (e.g., user U may hear second played back audio media 221via a loud speaker media playback component 212 and/or user U may seesecond played back video media 221 via a display media play backcomponent 212). Media playback module 402 may continuously updatecontrolled media information 409 with different playback control data asnew playback control data is received by media playback module 402, suchthat the value of one or more playback characteristics of second playedback media 221 may be continuously changed during playback of media bysecond electronic subsystem 20 to a user of system 1.

As mentioned, during a media playback transition from first electronicsubsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20, shared initial playbackcontrol data 315 may be used to at least partially dictate an initialplayback characteristic value of second played back media 221 outputtedby second electronic subsystem 20. For example, in some embodiments,during such a media playback transition, controlled media information409 may be generated by media playback module 402 based on sharedinitial playback control data 315 alone (e.g., not also based on controldata 407). In other embodiments, during such a media playbacktransition, controlled media information 409 may be generated by mediaplayback module 402 based on shared initial playback control data 315 incombination with one or more other types of received control data (e.g.,control data 407). When shared initial playback control data 315 isreceived by media playback module 402, controlled media information 409generated by media playback module 402 may cause media playbackcomponent 212 to output initial second played back media 221 asinitially played back media with a playback media characteristic atleast partially dictated by shared initial playback control data 315.

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, second device control system 401 ofsecond electronic device 200 may also include an information collectionmodule 406 that may be configured to determine one or more types ofinformation about second electronic subsystem 20 that may be utilized bysystem 1 during a media playback transition. For example, informationcollection module 406 may be configured to determine at least oneplayback characteristic value of media played back by second electronicsubsystem 20. Moreover, information collection module 406 may beconfigured to collect certain relationship playback control data 421that may be at least partially indicative of a relationship betweenfirst electronic subsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20. Basedon some or all of the received data, information collection module 406may generate and transmit second subsystem relationship data 325 tofirst electronic subsystem 10 (e.g., to relationship data source 310 offirst electronic device 100 via communications set-up 55 and firstcommunication components 106 and 206).

Information collection module 406 may determine at least one playbackcharacteristic value of second played back media 221 initially playedback by second electronic subsystem 20 during a media playbacktransition from first electronic subsystem 10 to second electronicsubsystem 20. For example, as shown, information collection module 406may be configured to receive second sensed playback characteristic valuedata 427 from sensor 214 of second electronic device 200. Second sensedplayback characteristic value data 427 may be generated by sensor 214based on the sensed value of a playback characteristic of second playedback media 221 initially outputted by media playback component 212during a media playback transition in response to shared initialplayback control data 315. For example, sensor 214 may be a microphoneconfigured to sense the volume of second played back audio media 221 andtransmit second sensed playback characteristic value data 427 indicativeof that sensed volume to information collection module 406. As anotherexample, sensor 214 may be a light sensor configured to sense thebrightness or white point or any other suitable characteristic of secondplayed back video media 221 and transmit second sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 427 indicative of that sensed brightness orwhite point or any other suitable characteristic to informationcollection module 406.

Additionally or alternatively, information collection module 406 may beconfigured to receive second internal playback characteristic value data413 from within second device control system 401. For example, secondinternal playback characteristic value data 413 may be internallygenerated by media playback module 402 based on a playbackcharacteristic value of controlled media information 409 initiallygenerated during a media playback transition in response to sharedinitial playback control data 315. For example, media playback module402 may be configured to determine what a sensed playback characteristicvalue of controlled media information 409 would be when outputted bymedia playback component 212 as second played back media 221 withoutrequiring that value to be physically sensed by sensor 214 (e.g., mediaplayback module 402 may leverage known controlled media information 409with known characteristics of media playback component 212 to internallydetermine a playback characteristic value of second played back media221 outputted by component 212 and thereby generate second internalplayback characteristic value data 413).

Alternatively or additionally, information collection module 406 may beconfigured to receive relationship playback control data 421 from arelationship data source 410, which may be any source of control dataaccessible to information collection module 406. In some embodiments,relationship data source 410 may be memory 204 of second electronicdevice 200 and relationship playback control data 421 may be anysuitable playback control data stored thereon. Alternatively oradditionally, relationship data source 410 may be provided toinformation collection module 406 by server 70 or first electronicsubsystem 10 via communications set-up 55 and first communicationscomponent 206.

Relationship playback control data 421 may be any suitable control datathat may be defined based on a relationship between first electronicsubsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20. For example,relationship playback control data 421 may be control data determined bythe distance between first electronic subsystem 10 and second electronicsubsystem 20 during the transition (e.g., distance D between location L1of user U and first electronic subsystem 10 and location L2 of table Tand second electronic subsystem 20 of FIG. 3). Such distancerelationship playback control data 421 may be generated by relationshipdata source 410 using various pieces of information that may be accessedfrom various sources. For example, server 70 may be able to determinelocations L1 and L2 based on information shared by each subsystem withserver 70, and server 70 may be able to send this information torelationship data source 410 as second server relationship data 423.Then relationship data source 410 may be able to leverage this secondserver relationship data 423 to determine distance D for generatingrelationship playback control data 421. Alternatively, relationshipplayback control data 421 may be generated entirely based on datadetermined locally by second subsystem 20 (e.g., about its own locationor other features that may be shared by second subsystem 20).

Therefore, information collection module 406 may generate secondsubsystem relationship data 325 at least partially based on one or moreof second sensed playback characteristic value data 427, second internalplayback characteristic value data 413, relationship playback controldata 421, and any combination thereof. This second subsystemrelationship data 325 may then be transmitted by information collectionmodule 406 to first electronic subsystem 10 for helping enable aconsistent user experience for user U during the media playbacktransition (e.g., for at least partially dictating the generation ofshared initial playback control data 315). In other embodiments,information collection module 406 may not transmit any second subsystemrelationship data 325 to first electronic subsystem 10. Instead, variousother control data that may be generated internally by first electronicsubsystem 10 and/or by server 70 may be used to dictate how firstelectronic subsystem 10 may enable a consistent user experience for userU during the media playback transition from subsystem 10 to subsystem20.

Once second played back media 221 is initially outputted by mediaplayback component 212 in response to shared initial playback controldata 315 being received by media playback module 402 during a mediaplayback transition, such second played back media 221 may be detectedby first electronic subsystem 10 in order to determine whether anyadditional playback control data is needed to adjust the playback ofmedia from second electronic subsystem 20. For example, media transitionmodule 306 of first device control system 301 may sense at least oneplayback characteristic value of second played back media 221 outputtedby second electronic subsystem 20 in response to shared initial playbackcontrol data 315 being received by media playback module 402 during amedia playback transition. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, mediatransition module 306 may be configured to receive second sensedplayback characteristic value data 327 from sensor 114 of firstelectronic device 100. Second sensed playback characteristic value data327 may be generated by sensor 114 based on the sensed value of aplayback characteristic of second played back media 221 initiallyoutputted by media playback component 212 during a media playbacktransition in response to shared initial playback control data 315. Forexample, sensor 114 may be a microphone configured to sense the volumeof second played back audio media 221 and transmit second sensedplayback characteristic value data 327 indicative of that sensed volumeto media transition module 306. As another example, sensor 114 may be alight sensor configured to sense the brightness or white point or anyother suitable characteristic of second played back video media 221 andtransmit second sensed playback characteristic value data 327 indicativeof that sensed brightness or white point or any other suitablecharacteristic to media transition module 306.

Media transition module 306 may also be configured to generate sharedadjustment playback control data 329 based on second sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 327 in combination with any additional datathat may be available to media transition module 306. Therefore, mediatransition module 306 may generate shared adjustment playback controldata 329 at least partially based on one or more of first sensedplayback characteristic value data 311, first internal playbackcharacteristic value data 313, sensed ambient characteristic value data317, second sensed playback characteristic value data 327, storedplayback control data 319, relationship playback control data 321, andany combination thereof, where such relationship playback control data321 may be at least partially based on second subsystem relationshipdata 325 from information collection control module 406, where suchsecond subsystem relationship data 325 may be at least partially basedon second sensed playback characteristic value data 427, second internalplayback characteristic value data 413, and/or relationship playbackcontrol data 421. Such shared adjustment playback control data 329 maythen be transmitted by media transition module 306 to second electronicsubsystem 20 for adjusting at least one playback characteristic value ofmedia being played back by second electronic subsystem 20 after thetransition.

For example, in some embodiments, media transition module 306 may beconfigured to generate and transmit shared adjustment playback controldata 329 based on a comparison of first sensed playback characteristicvalue data 311 with second sensed playback characteristic value data327. For example, by comparing first sensed playback characteristicvalue data 311 with second sensed playback characteristic value data327, media transition module 306 may be able to determine the differencebetween a playback characteristic value of first played back media 121played back by first electronic subsystem 10 as sensed by firstelectronic subsystem 10 before the transition and a playbackcharacteristic value of second played back media 221 initially playedback by second electronic subsystem 20 as sensed by first electronicsubsystem 10 after the transition. This comparison may be indicative ofthe difference in volume between previously played back audio media 121sensed by microphone sensor 114 at location L1 of first electronicsubsystem 10 and user U before the transition and initially played backaudio media 221 sensed by microphone 114 at location L1 of firstelectronic subsystem 10 and user U after the transition. Then, mediatransition module 306 may be configured to generate and transmit sharedadjustment playback control data 329 at least partially based on thisdetected difference, for example, such that shared adjustment playbackcontrol data 329 may be configured to adjust the volume of audio mediacurrently played back by second electronic subsystem 20 to match thevolume of audio media 121 previously played back by first electronicsubsystem 10. This may allow for the volume of media played back bysecond electronic subsystem 20 to be measured and modified iterativelyby media transition module 306 until the volume of media played back bysecond electronic subsystem 20 as measured by first electronic subsystem10 after the transition is equal to the target volume (e.g., the volumeof previously played back audio media 121 sensed by microphone sensor114 at location L1 of user U and first electronic subsystem 10 beforethe transition).

In some embodiments, media transition module 306 may also generateshared adjustment playback control data 329 using a more adaptiveapproach that may be at least partially based on sensed ambientcharacteristic value data 317. For example, shared adjustment playbackcontrol data 329 may be generated based on the difference between thevolume of second played back audio media 221 sensed by microphone 114 atlocation L1 of user U and first electronic subsystem 10 after thetransition (e.g., second sensed playback characteristic value data 327)and the volume sum of the volume of previously played back audio media121 sensed by microphone sensor 114 at location L1 of user U and firstelectronic subsystem 10 before the transition (e.g., first sensedplayback characteristic value data 311) and the volume of ambientcondition A sensed by microphone sensor 114 at location L1 of user U andfirst electronic subsystem 10 during the transition (e.g., sensedambient characteristic value data 317). That is, shared adjustmentplayback control data 329 may be generated based on the equation ofsecond sensed playback characteristic value data 327−first sensedplayback characteristic value data 311+sensed ambient characteristicvalue data 317. This may allow for the volume of media played back bysecond electronic subsystem 20 to be measured and modified iterativelyby media transition module 306 until the volume of media played back bysecond electronic subsystem 20 as measured by first electronic subsystem10 after the transition is the sum of the target volume (e.g., thevolume of previously played back audio media 121 sensed by microphonesensor 114 at location L1 of user U and first electronic subsystem 10before the transition) and the ambient volume (e.g., the volume ofambient condition A sensed by microphone sensor 114 at location L1 ofuser U and first electronic subsystem 10 during the transition).

Alternatively or additionally, various other types of data available tomedia transition module 306 may be leveraged to at least partiallygenerate shared adjustment playback control data 329. For example, anysuitable relationship playback control data 321, including any suitabledata provided to first electronic subsystem 10 from second electronicsubsystem 20 as second subsystem relationship data 325, may be utilizedby media transition module 306 when determining shared adjustmentplayback control data 329 for adjusting a playback characteristic valueof media played back by second electronic subsystem 20. For example,shared adjustment playback control data 329 may be generated at leastpartially based on some combination of the volume of second played backaudio media 221 sensed by microphone 114 at location L1 of user U andfirst electronic subsystem 10 after the transition (e.g., second sensedplayback characteristic value data 327) and the volume of second playedback audio media 221 sensed by microphone 214 at location L2 of secondelectronic subsystem 20 after the transition (e.g., second sensedplayback characteristic value data 427).

Relationship playback control data 321 that is indicative of a knownorientation between subsystems 10 and 20 of system 1 (e.g., as describedabove with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B) may be taken into account bymedia transition module 306 when determining shared initial playbackcontrol data 315 and/or shared adjustment playback control data 329.This may enable a consistent user experience for user U during the mediaplayback transition. For example, shared adjustment playback controldata 329 may be at least partially based on such orientationalrelationship playback control data 321 so that the volume playbackcharacteristic value of adjusted third played back audio media 223 maytake into account how sensor 114 may sense the volume of second playedback audio media 221. For example, this may enable media transitionmodule 306 to take into account whether the directionality of sensor 114is facing towards or away from the directionality of media playbackcomponent 212 when sensor 114 may have sensed the volume playbackcharacteristic value of second played back audio media 221 (e.g., thatsensed volume value would necessarily be louder if the directionalitieswere facing towards one another rather than away from one another). Bytaking into account the one or more relationships between the sensorsand playback components of system 1 (e.g., distances, orientations,responses, etc.) when generating shared initial playback control data315 and/or shared adjustment playback control data 329 may allow forsystem 1 to provide a more consistent user experience for user U whenthe playback of media is transitioned from first electronic subsystem 10to second electronic subsystem 20.

In some embodiments, system 1 may instruct user U to maintain aparticular sensor in a particular fashion (e.g., orientation ordistance) with respect to a particular media playback component in orderto more precisely transition the playback of media with a consistentuser experience. For example, I/O component 111 of first electronicdevice 100 may instruct user U to maintain sensor 114 at a constantdistance from media playback component 212 for a particular duration oftime (e.g., during at least a portion of the process of transitioningmedia playback from first subsystem 10 to second subsystem 20), suchthat the calculation of shared initial playback control data 315 and/orshared adjustment playback control data 329 may not have to take intoaccount the possibility of a varying distance between the twosubsystems. As another example, I/O component 111 of first electronicdevice 100 may instruct user U to orient sensor 114 directly towardsmedia playback component 212 and maintain that orientation for aparticular duration of time (e.g., during the process of transitioningmedia playback from first subsystem 10 to second subsystem 20) such thatthe calculation of shared initial playback control data 315 and/orshared adjustment playback control data 329 may not have to take intoaccount the possibility of varying orientations between the twosubsystems.

After the initial media playback transition from first electronicsubsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20, shared adjustmentplayback control data 329 may be used to at least partially adjust acurrent playback characteristic value of media played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20. For example, in some embodiments, after theinitial media playback transition (e.g., after second played back media221 is initially outputted by media playback component 212 in responseto initial controlled media information 409 that may be at leastpartially based on shared initial playback control data 315), controlledmedia information 409 may be adjusted or otherwise updated by mediaplayback module 402 at least partially based on shared adjustmentplayback control data 329. When shared adjustment playback control data329 is received by media playback module 402, adjusted controlled mediainformation 409 generated by media playback module 402 at leastpartially based on shared adjustment playback control data 329 may causemedia playback component 212 to output adjusted third played back media223 as adjusted played back media with a playback media characteristicat least partially dictated by shared adjustment playback control data329. Adjusted third played back media 223 may then be sensed by secondelectronic subsystem 20 similarly to initial second played back media221 for defining adjusted third sensed playback characteristic valuedata 431, which may then be similarly leveraged by informationcollection module 406 for updating second subsystem relationship data325. Moreover, adjusted third played back media 223 may then be sensedby first electronic subsystem 10 similarly to initial second played backmedia 221 for defining adjusted third sensed playback characteristicvalue data 331, which may then be similarly leveraged by mediatransition module 306 for updating shared adjustment playback controldata 329. Therefore, first electronic subsystem 10 may sense anditeratively and/or adaptively adjust a playback characteristic value ofmedia played back by second electronic subsystem 20 after a transition.

In other embodiments, media transition module 306 may not transmit anyshared adjustment playback control data 329 to second electronicsubsystem 20. Instead, various other control data that may be generatedinternally by second electronic subsystem 20 and/or by server 70 may beused to dictate how second electronic subsystem 20 may adjust one ormore playback characteristics of media being played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20 after the media playback transition. Forexample, inputted playback control data 407 from input component 210 ofsecond electronic device 200 (e.g., a user's setting of a volume controlknob 210 of second electronic device 200) or internal data sources ofsecond electronic device 200 (e.g., predetermined control data stored inmemory 204) may dictate how second electronic subsystem 20 adjusts oneor more playback characteristics of media after the initial mediaplayback transition.

Therefore, by generating shared initial playback control data 315 basedon how first played back media 121 may be sensed by sensor 114 of firstelectronic subsystem 10 before a transition and/or based on arelationship between subsystems 10 and 20, and then by dictating howinitial second played back media 221 may be played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20 initially after a transition based on suchshared initial playback control data 315, system 1 may help provide aconsistent user experience during the initial transition. Additionallyor alternatively, by generating shared adjustment playback control data329 based on how initial second played back media 221 may be sensed bysensor 114 of first electronic subsystem 10 after an initial transitionand/or based on a relationship between subsystems 10 and 20, and then bydictating how adjusted third played back media 223 may be played back bysecond electronic subsystem 20 after the transition based on such sharedadjustment playback control data 329, system 1 may help provide aconsistent user experience during the transition.

System 1 may be configured in various other ways and may include variousother combinations of various devices while still providing a consistentexperience for a user of system 1 (e.g., user U proximate to firstelectronic subsystem 10) as the playback of media is switched from firstelectronic subsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20. For example,in some embodiments, first electronic subsystem 10 may include firstelectronic device 100 as well as a first accessory device, while secondelectronic system 20 may include second electronic device 200 as well asa second accessory device. In other embodiments, only one of firstelectronic subsystem 10 and second electronic subsystem 20 may includean accessory device. Yet in other embodiments, neither first electronicsubsystem 10 nor second electronic subsystem 20 may include an accessorydevice.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, first electronic subsystem10 may also include a first accessory device 180 and a communicationsset-up 155 through which first accessory device 180 and first electronicdevice 100 may communicate with one another within first electronicsubsystem 10, while, alternatively or additionally, second electronicsubsystem 20 may include a second accessory device 280 and acommunications set-up 255 through which second accessory device 280 andsecond electronic device 200 may communicate with one another withinsecond electronic subsystem 20. Either one or both of first accessorydevice 180 and second accessory device 280 can include, but is notlimited to, a music player, video player, still image player, gameplayer, other media player, music recorder, movie or video camera orrecorder, still camera, other media recorder, radio, medical equipment,domestic appliance, transportation vehicle instrument, musicalinstrument, calculator, cellular telephone, other wireless communicationdevice, personal digital assistant, remote control, pager, computer(e.g., a desktop, laptop, tablet, server, etc.), monitor, television,stereo equipment, set up box, set-top box, boom box, modem, router,printer, or any combination thereof. Either one or both of firstaccessory device 180 and second accessory device 280 may be anyportable, mobile, hand-held, or miniature electronic device that may beconfigured to playback media wherever a user travels. Alternatively,either one or both of first accessory device 180 and second accessorydevice 280 may not be portable at all, but may instead be generallystationary.

First accessory device 180 may be any suitable accessory device that maybe used in conjunction with first electronic device 100 to enrich orenhance the capabilities of first electronic subsystem 10, including thecapabilities of first electronic subsystem 10 on its own and independentof the capabilities of first electronic subsystem 10 when used inconjunction with second electronic subsystem 20 of system 1. Forexample, first accessory device 180 may include a set of headphones thatmay receive audio media from an audio line-out or audio signaltransmitter of first electronic device 100 via communications set-up 155and then output that received audio media as sound waves that may beheard by a user of first electronic subsystem 10. As another example,first accessory device 180 may additionally or alternatively include adisplay that may receive video media from a video line-out or videosignal transmitter of first electronic device 100 via communicationsset-up 155 and then output that received video media as light waves thatmay be seen by a user of first electronic subsystem 10. As yet anotherexample, first accessory device 180 may additionally or alternativelyinclude a media sensor that may detect characteristic value data aboutcertain played back media or ambient conditions in the environment offirst electronic subsystem 10 and then transmit that detectedcharacteristic value data to a data line-in or data signal receiver offirst electronic device 100 via communications set-up 155. Similarly,second accessory device 280 may be any suitable accessory device thatmay be used in conjunction with second electronic device 200 to enrichor enhance the capabilities of second electronic subsystem 20 (e.g., aset of headphones or loudspeakers, a display, and/or a media sensor).

As shown in FIG. 1, for example, first accessory device 180 of firstelectronic subsystem 10 may include a processor 182, memory 184, powersupply 188, input component 190, media playback component 192, sensor194, and communications component 196. In some embodiments, inputcomponent 190 and media playback component 192 of first accessory device180 may sometimes be a single I/O interface or I/O component 191. Firstaccessory device 180 may also include a housing 181 and a bus 198 thatmay provide one or more wired or wireless communications links or pathsfor transferring data and/or power to, from, or between various othercomponents of first accessory device 180. As also shown in FIG. 1,processor 182 may be used to run an application 183 that may include,but is not limited to, one or more operating system applications,firmware applications, media playback applications, media editingapplications, or any other suitable applications. Application 183 may beaccessed by processor 182 from any suitable source, such as from memory184 (e.g., via bus 198), from first electronic device 100 or from aserver of communications set-up 155 (e.g., via communications component196), or from any other suitable source. In some embodiments, one ormore components of first accessory device 180 may be combined oromitted. Moreover, first accessory device 180 may include othercomponents not combined or included in FIG. 1 and/or several instancesof the components shown in FIG. 1. For the sake of simplicity, only oneof each of the components of first accessory device 180 is shown in FIG.1.

Each one of housing 181, processor 182, application 183, memory 184,communications component 196, power supply 188, input component 190, I/Ocomponent 191, media playback component 192, sensor 194, and bus 198 offirst accessory device 180 may be the same as or substantially similarto a respective one of housing 101, processor 102, application 103,memory 104, second communications component 116, power supply 108, inputcomponent 110, I/O component 111, media playback component 112, sensor114, and bus 118 of first electronic device 100 and, therefore, may notbe independently described in greater detail. While, in someembodiments, first electronic device 100 and first accessory device 180may be the same or substantially similar devices, in other embodiments,first electronic device 100 may have one or more different and/oradditional components that first accessory device 180 does not have, andvice versa.

In some embodiments, second communications component 116 of firstelectronic device 100 and communications component 196 of firstaccessory device 180 may communicate with one another directly, such as,for example, via a shared communications link 151 of communicationsset-up 155 that may include one or more wired and/or wirelesscommunications links or paths for transferring any suitable data and/orpower between first electronic device 100 and first accessory device 180within first electronic subsystem 10. Alternatively or additionally, insome embodiments, communications set-up 155 of first electronicsubsystem 10 may include a communications network 150, with which one orboth of first electronic device 100 and first accessory device 180 maycommunicate (e.g., via respective communications links 161 and 171).Communications network 150 may include a server 170, which may besimilar to server 70. Therefore, in some embodiments, communicationsset-up 155 may be substantially similar to communications set-up 55.

As also shown in FIG. 1, for example, second accessory device 280 ofsecond electronic subsystem 20 may include a processor 282, memory 284,power supply 288, input component 290, media playback component 292,sensor 294, and communications component 296. In some embodiments, inputcomponent 290 and media playback component 292 of second accessorydevice 280 may sometimes be a single I/O interface or I/O component 291.Second accessory device 280 may also include a housing 281 and a bus 298that may provide one or more wired or wireless communications links orpaths for transferring data and/or power to, from, or between variousother components of second accessory device 280. As also shown in FIG.1, processor 282 may be used to run an application 283 that may include,but is not limited to, one or more operating system applications,firmware applications, media playback applications, media editingapplications, or any other suitable applications. Application 283 may beaccessed by processor 282 from any suitable source, such as from memory284 (e.g., via bus 298), from second electronic device 200 or from aserver of communications set-up 255 (e.g., via communications component296), or from any other suitable source. In some embodiments, one ormore components of second accessory device 280 may be combined oromitted. Moreover, second accessory device 280 may include othercomponents not combined or included in FIG. 1 and/or several instancesof the components shown in FIG. 1. For the sake of simplicity, only oneof each of the components of second accessory device 280 is shown inFIG. 1.

Each one of housing 281, processor 282, application 283, memory 284,communications component 296, power supply 288, input component 290, I/Ocomponent 291, media playback component 292, sensor 294, and bus 298 ofsecond accessory device 280 may be the same as or substantially similarto a respective one of housing 201, processor 202, application 203,memory 204, second communications component 216, power supply 208, inputcomponent 210, I/O component 211, media playback component 212, sensor214, and bus 218 of second electronic device 200 and, therefore, may notbe independently described in greater detail. While, in someembodiments, second electronic device 200 and second accessory device280 may be the same or substantially similar devices, in otherembodiments, second electronic device 200 may have one or more differentand/or additional components that second accessory device 280 does nothave, and vice versa.

In some embodiments, second communications component 216 of secondelectronic device 200 and communications component 296 of secondaccessory device 280 may communicate with one another directly, such as,for example, via a shared communications link 251 of communicationsset-up 255 that may include one or more wired and/or wirelesscommunications links or paths for transferring any suitable data and/orpower between second electronic device 200 and second accessory device280 within second electronic subsystem 20. Alternatively oradditionally, in some embodiments, communications set-up 255 of secondelectronic subsystem 20 may include a communications network 250, withwhich one or both of second electronic device 200 and second accessorydevice 280 may communicate (e.g., via respective communications links261 and 271). Communications network 250 may include a server 270, whichmay be similar to server 70. Therefore, in some embodiments,communications set-up 255 may be substantially similar to communicationsset-up 55.

Each subsystem of system 1 may be configured in various ways and mayinclude various combinations of various devices while still providing aconsistent user experience when transitioning media playback betweenmultiple electronic devices (e.g., while still providing a consistentexperience for a user proximate to first electronic subsystem 10 as theplayback of media is switched from first electronic subsystem 10 tosecond electronic subsystem 20). For example, in some embodiments, firstelectronic subsystem 10 may include first electronic device 100 and atleast one accessory device (e.g., first accessory device 180), andsecond electronic subsystem 20 may include second electronic device 200and at least one accessory device (e.g., second accessory device 280).

In such embodiments, first electronic subsystem 10 may include anysuitable first electronic device 100 and any suitable first accessorydevice 180 that together may be configured to playback media anddetermine a first value of a playback characteristic of the media playedback by first electronic subsystem 10 that may be detected in theenvironment of first electronic subsystem 10 at a first moment in timebefore a media playback transition. The combination of first electronicdevice 100 and first accessory device 180 may also be configured toshare certain initial information with second electronic subsystem 20for dictating an initial value of the playback characteristic for mediainitially played back by second electronic subsystem 20 at a secondmoment in time initially after the media playback transition. Moreover,the combination of first electronic device 100 and first accessorydevice 180 may also be configured to determine a second value of theplayback characteristic of the media initially played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20 that may be detected in the environment of firstelectronic subsystem 10 at a third moment in time after the mediaplayback transition, and then share certain adjustment information withsecond electronic subsystem 20 (e.g., based on the determined first andsecond values) for dictating an adjusted value of the playbackcharacteristic for media played back by second electronic subsystem 20at a fourth moment in time after the media playback transition. While,in such embodiments, the combination of second electronic device 200 andsecond accessory device 280 may be configured to initially playbackmedia with a certain initial playback characteristic value based on theshared initial information and then adjust the playback characteristicvalue of the media played back by second electronic subsystem 20 basedon the shared adjustment information. For example, in such embodiments,as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, first electronic subsystem 10 may include atleast one media playback component (e.g., media playback component 112of first electronic device 100 and/or media playback component 192 offirst accessory device 180), at least one media sensor (e.g., mediasensor 114 of first electronic device 100 and/or media sensor 194 offirst accessory device 180), and first communications component 106 thatcan share information via communications set-up 55 with firstcommunications component 206 of second electronic subsystem 20, whichmay also include a media playback component (e.g., media playbackcomponent 212 of second electronic device 200 and/or media playbackcomponent 292 of second accessory device 280).

In some embodiments, rather than or in addition to utilizing mediaplayback component 112 of first electronic device 100 to playback mediabefore a transition, first electronic subsystem 10 may utilize mediaplayback component 192 of first accessory device 180 to playback mediabefore a transition. For example, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG.2, first device control system 301 may at least partially dictate thevalue of one or more media playback characteristics of media beingplayed back by media playback component 192 of first accessory device180 before a media playback transition from first electronic subsystem10 to second electronic subsystem 20. This may enable first electronicsubsystem 10 to function when first electronic device 100 does notinclude its own media playback component (e.g., if first electronicdevice 100 does not include media playback component 112 capable ofoutputting media to user U on its own). For example, as shown in FIG. 3,first accessory device 180 may include at least one headphone mediaplayback component 192 that may output media to user U, which may bedesired if media playback component 112 of first electronic device 100is not capable of outputting certain media to user U (e.g., if the mediato be outputted by first electronic subsystem 10 is audio media butmedia playback component 112 of first electronic device 100 is onlyconfigured to output video media without accompanying audio).

With continued reference to FIG. 2, media playback module 302 of firstdevice control system 301 may be configured to receive media forplayback from one or more media sources, to receive playback controldata from one or more control sources, and to process such receivedmedia and such received control data in order to provide controlledmedia information to media playback component 192 of first accessorydevice 180 for output to a user of system 1. As mentioned above, mediaplayback module 302 may receive media for playback from various mediasources, such as stored media 303 and/or first streamed media 305.Moreover, as mentioned above, media playback module 302 may receiveplayback control data from various control sources, such as inputtedplayback control data 307 and/or stored control data 319. Media playbackmodule 302 may process the received media and the received playbackcontrol data to generate and transmit controlled media information tomedia playback component 192 for output to a user of first accessorydevice 180. For example, as shown, regardless of the source or type ofmedia received by media playback module 302, and regardless of thesource or type of playback control data received by media playbackmodule 302, controlled media information 349 may be generated by mediaplayback module 302 and transmitted to first accessory device 180 (e.g.,via second communications component 116, communications set-up 155 andcommunications component 196).

As also shown in FIG. 2, first accessory device 180 may include a firstaccessory control system 381 that may optionally be used to at leastpartially dictate the value of one or more media playbackcharacteristics of media being played back by media playback component192 of first accessory device 180 before a media playback transitionfrom first electronic subsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20.For example, first accessory control system 381 of first accessorydevice 180 may include a media playback module 382 that may beconfigured to receive controlled media information 349 from mediaplayback module 302 of first electronic device 100. Moreover, mediaplayback module 382 may be configured to receive playback control datafrom various control sources, such as inputted playback control data 347from input component 190 of first accessory device 180 (e.g., inputtedplayback control data 347 may be determined by a user's interaction witha user interface of first accessory device 180, such as a user'spressing of a “volume up” button 190 of first accessory device 180). Thereceived playback control data may be any suitable instructions forcontrolling the value of any suitable media playback characteristic,such as the volume level of played back audio media, the brightness orwhite point of played back video media, and/or the spectral content ofthe played back media. Media playback module 382 may process thereceived media and the received playback control data of controlledmedia information 349 along with any other received playback controldata (e.g., inputted playback control data 347) to generate and transmitaccessory controlled media information 359 to media playback component192 for output to a user of first accessory device 180.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, media playback module 382 of firstaccessory control system 381 may generate and transmit accessorycontrolled media information 359 to media playback component 192, andmedia playback component 192 may in turn output first played backaccessory media 131, which may be experienced by a user of firstaccessory device 180 (e.g., a user may hear first played back accessoryaudio media 131 via a headphone media playback component 192 and/or auser may see first played back accessory video media 131 via a displaymedia play back component 192). Media playback module 302 of firstelectronic device 100 may continuously update controlled mediainformation 349 with different playback control data as new playbackcontrol data is received by media playback module 302, and/or mediaplayback module 382 of first accessory device 180 may continuouslyupdate accessory controlled media information 359 with differentplayback control data as new playback control data is received by mediaplayback module 382, such that the value of one or more playbackcharacteristics of first played back accessory media 131 may becontinuously changed during playback of media to a user using firstaccessory device 180 of first electronic subsystem 10.

As described above, at some point, system 1 may be configured totransition the playback of media from first electronic subsystem 10 tosecond electronic subsystem 20. So that the value of at least oneplayback characteristic of the media played back by first electronicsubsystem 10 before the transition may be maintained for the mediaplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 after the transition,first device control system 301 of first electronic device 100 may alsobe configured to determine the value of a media playback characteristicof first played back accessory media 131 before the transition, and thenat least partially dictate the value of that media playbackcharacteristic for media being played back by second electronicsubsystem 20 after the transition (e.g., second played back media 221being played back by media playback component 212 of second electronicdevice 200). This may provide for a consistent user experience for auser proximate to first electronic subsystem 10 within system 1 (e.g.,user U that may be wearing first accessory device 180 within a spacethat may also include second electronic device 200 on table T, as shownin FIG. 3).

As mentioned, media transition module 306 of first device control system301 may be configured to determine a first playback characteristic valueof media played back by first electronic subsystem 10 before a mediaplayback transition from first electronic subsystem 10 to secondelectronic subsystem 20. Media transition module 306 may also beconfigured to dictate an initial playback characteristic value of mediaplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 after the media playbacktransition. Moreover, media transition module 306 may also be configuredto determine a second playback characteristic value of media played backby second electronic subsystem 20 after the media playback transitionand then dictate an adjustment to the playback characteristic value ofthe media played back by second electronic subsystem 20 based on thedetermined first and second playback characteristic values.

Media transition module 306 may determine a first playbackcharacteristic value of media played back by first electronic subsystem10 before a media playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10to second electronic subsystem 20. For example, as shown, mediatransition module 306 may be configured to receive first accessorysensed playback characteristic value data 357 from sensor 194 of firstaccessory device 180 (e.g., via communications component 196,communications set-up 155, and second communications component 116).First accessory sensed playback characteristic value data 357 may begenerated by sensor 194 based on the sensed value of a playbackcharacteristic of first played back media 121 before a media playbacktransition. For example, sensor 194 may be a microphone configured tosense the volume of first played back audio media 121 and transmit firstaccessory sensed playback characteristic value data 357 indicative ofthat sensed volume to media transition module 306. As another example,sensor 194 may be a light sensor configured to sense the brightness orwhite point or any other suitable characteristic of first played backvideo media 121 and transmit first accessory sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 357 indicative of that sensed brightness orwhite point or any other suitable characteristic to media transitionmodule 306. This may be useful when first media played back by firstelectronic subsystem 10 before a media playback transition is outputtedas first played back media 121 by media playback component 112 of firstelectronic device 100, but first electronic device 100 does not includea suitable sensor 114, such that first electronic subsystem 10 may relyon sensor 194 of first accessory device 180.

Even when media is played back by first accessory device 180, mediatransition module 306 may determine a first playback characteristicvalue of media played back by first electronic subsystem 10 before amedia playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10 to secondelectronic subsystem 20. For example, as shown, media transition module306 may be configured to receive first sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 341 from sensor 114 of first electronic device100. First sensed accessory playback characteristic value data 341 maybe generated by sensor 114 based on the sensed value of a playbackcharacteristic of first played back accessory media 131 at firstelectronic device 100 before a media playback transition. For example,sensor 114 may be a microphone configured to sense the volume of firstplayed back accessory audio media 131 and transmit first sensedaccessory playback characteristic value data 341 indicative of thatsensed volume to media transition module 306. As another example, sensor114 may be a light sensor configured to sense the brightness or whitepoint or any other suitable characteristic of first played backaccessory video media 131 and transmit first sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 341 indicative of that sensed brightness orwhite point or any other suitable characteristic to media transitionmodule 306.

Additionally or alternatively, as shown, media transition module 306 maybe configured to receive first sensed accessory playback characteristicvalue data 351 from sensor 194 of first accessory device 180. Firstsensed accessory playback characteristic value data 351 may be generatedby sensor 194 based on the sensed value of a playback characteristic offirst played back accessory media 131 at first accessory device 180before a media playback transition. For example, sensor 194 may be amicrophone configured to sense the volume of first played back accessoryaudio media 131 and transmit first sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 351 indicative of that sensed volume to mediatransition module 306 (e.g., via communications component 196,communications set-up 155, and second communications component 116). Asanother example, sensor 194 may be a light sensor configured to sensethe brightness or white point of first played back accessory video media131 and transmit first sensed accessory playback characteristic valuedata 351 indicative of that sensed brightness or white point to mediatransition module 306 (e.g., via communications component 196,communications set-up 155, and second communications component 116).

Additionally or alternatively, media transition module 306 may beconfigured to receive first internal accessory playback characteristicvalue data 353 from within first accessory control system 381. Forexample, first internal accessory playback characteristic value data 353may be internally generated by media playback module 382 of firstaccessory control system 381 based on a playback characteristic value ofaccessory controlled media information 359 before a media playbacktransition. Media playback module 382 may be configured to determinewhat a sensed playback characteristic value of accessory controlledmedia information 359 would be when outputted by media playbackcomponent 192 without requiring that value to be physically sensed bysensor 114 and/or by sensor 194 (e.g., media playback module 382 mayleverage known accessory controlled media information 359 with knowncharacteristics of media playback component 192 to internally determinea playback characteristic value of first played back accessory media 131outputted by media playback component 192 of first accessory device 180,and thereby generate first internal accessory playback characteristicvalue data 353). First accessory control system 381 of first accessorydevice 180 may be configured to transmit first internal accessoryplayback characteristic value data 353 to media transition module 306 offirst electronic device 100 (e.g., via communications component 196,communications set-up 155, and second communications component 116).

Media transition module 306 may be configured to determine at least afirst playback characteristic value of first played back accessory media131 played back by first electronic subsystem 10 at any suitable time(e.g., using first sensed accessory playback characteristic value data341 received from device sensor 114 and/or using first sensed accessoryplayback characteristic value data 351 received from accessory sensor194 and/or using first internal accessory playback characteristic valuedata 353 received from media playback module 382). Therefore, inresponse to first electronic subsystem 10 detecting a media playbacktransition initiation event from any suitable component of system 1,media transition module 306 may be configured to determine the mostrecent playback characteristic value of first played back media 121and/or of first played back accessory media 131 as played back by firstelectronic subsystem 10 (e.g., based on the most recently receivedplayback characteristic value data 311, 313, 341, 351, 353, and/or 357).Such playback characteristic value data may be configured to begenerated and transmitted to media transition module 306 on a frequentbasis so that the playback characteristic value data most recentlyreceived by media transition module 306 may be indicative of at leastthe first playback characteristic value of the current or most recentlyplayed back media 121/131 of first electronic subsystem 10.

Media transition module 306 may then be configured to generate andtransmit shared initial playback control data 315 to second electronicsubsystem 20 (e.g., using communications set-up 55 via firstcommunications component 106) to dictate an initial playbackcharacteristic value of media played back by second electronic subsystem20 after the media playback transition (e.g., in response to firstelectronic subsystem 10 detecting a media playback transition initiationevent from any suitable component of system 1). As mentioned, mediatransition module 306 may generate shared initial playback control data315 at least partially based on one or more of first sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 311, first internal playback characteristicvalue data 313, sensed ambient characteristic value data 317, storedplayback control data 319, relationship playback control data 321, andany combination thereof. Alternatively or additionally, media transitionmodule 306 may generate shared initial playback control data 315 atleast partially based on a first playback characteristic value of firstplayed back accessory media 131 played back by first electronicsubsystem 10 (e.g., based on first sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 341 received from device sensor 114 and/orbased on first sensed accessory playback characteristic value data 351received from accessory sensor 194 and/or based on first internalaccessory playback characteristic value data 353 received from mediaplayback module 382). That is, shared initial playback control data 315may be determined at least in part by the most recent playbackcharacteristic value of first played back accessory media 131 playedback by first accessory device 180 of first electronic subsystem 10before the media playback transition, such that a playbackcharacteristic value of second played back media that may be initiallyplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 after the media playbacktransition may be at least partially dictated by (e.g., similar to) thevalue of that playback characteristic of first played back accessorymedia 131 played back by first accessory device 180 of first electronicsubsystem 10 before the media playback transition. For example, mediatransition module 306 may be configured to generate shared initialplayback control data 315 that may be utilized by second electronicsubsystem 20 to output second played back media 221 with a playbackcharacteristic value substantially equal to or otherwise related to afirst playback characteristic value of first played back accessory media131 played back by first accessory device 180 of first electronicsubsystem 10 (e.g., based on received first sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 341 and/or received first sensed accessoryplayback characteristic value data 351 and/or received first internalaccessory playback characteristic value data 353). This may help enablea consistent user experience for a user of system 1 experiencing a mediaplayback transition from first media played back and/or sensed by firstaccessory device 180 of first electronic subsystem 10 to second mediaplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20.

Alternatively or additionally, media transition module 306 may generateshared initial playback control data 315 at least partially based on oneor more characteristics of ambient condition A sensed within system 1during the media playback transition. As shown in FIG. 2, for example,media transition module 306 may be configured to receive sensed ambientcharacteristic value data 367 from sensor 194 of first accessory device180. Sensed ambient characteristic value data 367 may be generated bysensor 194 based on the sensed value of a characteristic of ambientcondition A during a media playback transition. For example, sensor 194may be a microphone configured to sense the volume of an audio componentof ambient condition A (e.g., speech S from user U of FIG. 3) andtransmit sensed ambient characteristic value data 367 indicative of thatsensed volume to media transition module 306 (e.g., via communicationsset-up 155). As another example, sensor 194 may be a light sensorconfigured to sense the brightness or white point or any other suitablecharacteristic or other suitable characteristic of a light component ofambient condition A (e.g., a light source G of FIG. 3) and transmitsensed ambient characteristic value data 367 indicative of that sensedbrightness or white point or any other suitable characteristic to mediatransition module 306 (e.g., via communications set-up 155).

Media transition module 306 may be configured to determine one or morecharacteristics of an ambient condition A at any suitable time (e.g.,using received sensed ambient characteristic value data 317 and/orsensed ambient characteristic value data 367). For example, in responseto first electronic subsystem 10 detecting a media playback transitioninitiation event from any suitable component of system 1, mediatransition module 306 may be configured to determine sensed ambientcharacteristic value data 367 just before second electronic subsystem 20initiates media playback of second played back media 221 in accordancewith the media playback transition. In some embodiments, mediatransition module 306 may be configured to determine sensed ambientcharacteristic value data 367 just after first electronic device 100terminates media playback of first played back media 121 and/or 131 andjust before second electronic device 20 initiates media playback ofsecond played back media 221 in accordance with the media playbacktransition. This may enable system 1 to determine the ambient conditionsin system 1 that exist during the media playback transition but that arenot generated by a media playback component of system 1. Mediatransition module 306 may generate shared initial playback control data315 at least partially based on sensed ambient characteristic value data367 such that a playback characteristic value of second played backmedia 221 initially played back by second electronic subsystem 20 afterthe media playback transition may take into account any ambientconditions in system 1.

In some embodiments, media transition module 306 may generate sharedinitial playback control data 315 based on sensed ambient characteristicvalue data 367 during the transition as well as based on playbackcharacteristic value data of first played back media 121 played back byfirst electronic subsystem 10 before the transition (e.g., based onplayback characteristic value data 311 and/or 313 and/or 353 and/or357). For example, media transition module 306 may generate sharedinitial playback control data 315 to be the aggregate of sensed ambientcharacteristic value data 367 and sensed playback characteristic valuedata 357 or the aggregate of sensed ambient characteristic value data367 and playback characteristic value data 353. This may enable theinitial playback characteristic value of second played back media 221outputted by second electronic subsystem 20 after the transition to beequal to the sum of the playback characteristic value of first playedback media 121 played back by first electronic subsystem 10 asdetermined by first accessory device 180 just before the transition andthe characteristic value of ambient condition A as determined by firstaccessory device 180 during the transition.

Once second played back media 221 is initially outputted by secondelectronic subsystem 20 in response to shared initial playback controldata 315 being received by media playback module 402 during a mediaplayback transition, such second played back media 221 may be detectedby first electronic subsystem 10 in order to determine whether anyadditional playback control data is needed to adjust the playback ofmedia from second electronic subsystem 20. For example, media transitionmodule 306 of first device control system 301 may sense at least oneplayback characteristic value of second played back media 221 outputtedby second electronic subsystem 20 in response to shared initial playbackcontrol data 315 being received by media playback module 402 during amedia playback transition. As mentioned, media transition module 306 maybe configured to receive second sensed playback characteristic valuedata 327 from sensor 114 of first electronic device 100. Additionally oralternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, media transition module306 may be configured to receive second accessory sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 369 from accessory sensor 194 of firstaccessory device 180. Second accessory sensed playback characteristicvalue data 369 may be generated by sensor 194 based on the sensed valueof a playback characteristic of second played back media 221 initiallyoutputted by media playback component 212 during a media playbacktransition in response to shared initial playback control data 315. Forexample, sensor 194 may be a microphone configured to sense the volumeof second played back audio media 221 and transmit second accessorysensed playback characteristic value data 369 indicative of that sensedvolume to media transition module 306 (e.g., via communications set-up155). As another example, sensor 194 may be a light sensor configured tosense the brightness or white point or any other suitable characteristicof second played back video media 221 and transmit second accessorysensed playback characteristic value data 369 indicative of that sensedbrightness or white point or any other suitable characteristic to mediatransition module 306 (e.g., via communications set-up 155).

Media transition module 306 may also be configured to generate sharedadjustment playback control data 329 based on second sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 327 and/or second accessory sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 369 in combination with any additional datathat may be available to media transition module 306. Therefore, mediatransition module 306 may generate shared adjustment playback controldata 329 at least partially based on one or more of first sensedplayback characteristic value data 311, first internal playbackcharacteristic value data 313, sensed ambient characteristic value data317, second sensed playback characteristic value data 327, storedplayback control data 319, relationship playback control data 321, firstaccessory sensed playback characteristic value data 357, first internalaccessory playback characteristic value data 353, sensed ambientaccessory characteristic value data 367, second accessory sensedplayback characteristic value data 369, and any combination thereof,where such relationship playback control data 321 may be at leastpartially based on second subsystem relationship data 325 frominformation collection control module 406, where such second subsystemrelationship data 325 may be at least partially based on second sensedplayback characteristic value data 427, second internal playbackcharacteristic value data 413, and/or relationship playback control data421. Such shared adjustment playback control data 329 may then betransmitted by media transition module 306 to second electronicsubsystem 20 for adjusting at least one playback characteristic value ofmedia being played back by second electronic subsystem 20 after thetransition. Media transition module 306 may be configured to generateshared adjustment playback control data 329 based on second accessorysensed playback characteristic value data 369 in addition to or as analternative to generating shared adjustment playback control data 329based on second sensed playback characteristic value data 327 (e.g.,when subsystem 10 only includes sensor 194 for sensing second playedback media 221 as second accessory sensed playback characteristic valuedata 369).

Information collection module 406 may determine at least one playbackcharacteristic value of second played back media 221 initially playedback by second electronic subsystem 20 during a media playbacktransition from first electronic subsystem 10 to second electronicsubsystem 20. For example, as shown, information collection module 406may be configured to receive second accessory sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 469 from accessory sensor 294 of secondaccessory device 280 second electronic subsystem 20 (e.g., viacommunications set-up 255). Second accessory sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 469 may be generated by sensor 294 based onthe sensed value of a playback characteristic of second played backmedia 221 initially outputted by media playback component 212 during amedia playback transition in response to shared initial playback controldata 315. For example, sensor 294 may be a microphone configured tosense the volume of second played back audio media 221 and transmitsecond accessory sensed playback characteristic value data 469indicative of that sensed volume to information collection module 406(e.g., via communications set-up 255). As another example, sensor 294may be a light sensor configured to sense the brightness or white pointor any other suitable characteristic of second played back video media221 and transmit second accessory sensed playback characteristic valuedata 469 indicative of that sensed brightness or white point or anyother suitable characteristic to information collection module 406(e.g., via communications set-up 255).

Therefore, information collection module 406 may generate secondsubsystem relationship data 325 at least partially based on one or moreof second sensed playback characteristic value data 427, second internalplayback characteristic value data 413, relationship playback controldata 421, second accessory sensed playback characteristic value data469, and any combination thereof. This second subsystem relationshipdata 325 may then be transmitted by information collection module 406 tofirst electronic subsystem 10 for helping enable a consistent userexperience for user U during the media playback transition (e.g., for atleast partially dictating the generation of shared initial playbackcontrol data 315). In other embodiments, information collection module406 may not transmit any second subsystem relationship data 325 to firstelectronic subsystem 10. Instead, various other control data that may begenerated internally by first electronic subsystem 10 and/or by server70 may be used to dictate how first electronic subsystem 10 may enable aconsistent user experience for user U during the media playbacktransition from subsystem 10 to subsystem 20.

After the initial media playback transition from first electronicsubsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20, shared adjustmentplayback control data 329 may be used to at least partially adjust acurrent playback characteristic value of media played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20. For example, in some embodiments, after theinitial media playback transition (e.g., after second played back media221 is initially outputted by media playback component 212 in responseto initial controlled media information 409 that may be at leastpartially based on shared initial playback control data 315), controlledmedia information 409 may be adjusted or otherwise updated by mediaplayback module 402 at least partially based on shared adjustmentplayback control data 329. When shared adjustment playback control data329 is received by media playback module 402, adjusted controlled mediainformation 409 generated by media playback module 402 at leastpartially based on shared adjustment playback control data 329 may causemedia playback component 212 to output adjusted third played back media223 as adjusted played back media with a playback media characteristicat least partially dictated by shared adjustment playback control data329. Adjusted third played back media 223 may then be sensed byaccessory sensor 294 of second accessory device 280 of second electronicsubsystem 20 similarly to initial second played back media 221 fordefining adjusted third accessory sensed playback characteristic valuedata 471, which may then be similarly leveraged by informationcollection module 406 (e.g., via communications set-up 255) for updatingsecond subsystem relationship data 325. Additionally or alternatively,adjusted third played back media 223 may then be sensed by accessorysensor 194 of first accessory device 180 of first electronic subsystem10 similarly to initial second played back media 221 for definingadjusted third accessory sensed playback characteristic value data 371,which may then be similarly leveraged by media transition module 306(e.g., via communications set-up 155) for updating shared adjustmentplayback control data 329. Therefore, first electronic subsystem 10 maysense and iteratively and/or adaptively adjust a playback characteristicvalue of media played back by second electronic subsystem 20 after atransition.

In some embodiments, rather than or in addition to utilizing mediaplayback component 212 of second electronic device 200 to playback mediaafter a transition, second electronic subsystem 20 may utilize mediaplayback component 292 of second accessory device 280 to playback mediaafter a transition. For example, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG.2, second device control system 401 of second electronic device 200 ofsecond electronic subsystem 20 may at least partially dictate the valueof one or more media playback characteristics of media being played backby media playback component 292 of second accessory device 280 after amedia playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10 to secondelectronic subsystem 20 (e.g., based on shared initial playback controldata 315 that may be received by first electronic subsystem 10). Thismay enable second electronic subsystem 20 to function when secondelectronic device 200 does not include its own media playback component(e.g., if second electronic device 200 does not include media playbackcomponent 212 capable of outputting media to user U on its own).

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, second accessory device 280 may includeat least one speaker and/or display media playback component 292 thatmay output media to user U, which may be desired if media playbackcomponent 212 of second electronic device 200 is not capable ofoutputting certain media to user U. For example, in some embodiments,the media to be outputted by second electronic subsystem 20 may be audiomedia but media playback component 212 of second electronic device 200may only configured to output video media without accompanying audio.Alternatively, in some embodiments, media playback component 212 may notbe configured to output any media capable of being detected by user U.Instead, second electronic device 200 may be an AirPlay™ receiver, suchas an AirPort Express™ made available by Apple Inc., that may include anaudio output connector media playback component 212 that may not be ableto output audible audio waves but that may only be able to communicateaudio signals to a loudspeaker accessory device (e.g., second accessorydevice 280) that may be configured to convert those audio signals toaudible audio waves that may be output to and heard by a user (e.g., viaaccessory media playback component 292). As another example, secondelectronic device 200 may be an AirPlay™ receiver, such as Apple TV™made available by Apple Inc., that may include an audio/video outputconnector media playback component 212 that may not be able to outputaudible audio waves and visible video waves but that may only be able tocommunicate audio/video signals to a television accessory device (e.g.,second accessory device 280) that may be configured to convert thoseaudio/video signals to audible audio waves and visible video waves thatmay be output to and experienced by a user (e.g., via accessory mediaplayback component 292). This may enable a consistent user experiencefor user U proximate to first electronic subsystem 10 within system 1when the output of played back media is transitioned from firstelectronic subsystem 10 to second accessory device 280 of secondelectronic subsystem 20 (e.g., in addition to or as an alternative towhen the output of played back media is transitioned from firstelectronic subsystem 10 to second electronic device 200 of secondelectronic subsystem 20).

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, media playback module 402 of seconddevice control system 401 of second electronic device 200 may beconfigured to receive media for playback from one or more media sources,to receive playback control data from one or more control sources, andto process such received media and such received control data in orderto provide controlled media information to media playback component 292of second accessory device 280 for output to a user of system 1. Asmentioned, media playback module 402 may receive media for playback fromvarious media sources, such as stored media 403, second streamed media405, and/or stream of stored media 303. Moreover, media playback module402 may receive playback control data from various control sources, suchas inputted playback control data 407, inputted playback control datafrom internal data sources of second electronic device 200 (e.g.,predetermined control data stored in memory 204), and/or shared initialplayback control data 315 for at least partially dictating an initialplayback characteristic value of media played back by second electronicsubsystem 20 in response to a media playback transition. The playbackcontrol data received by media playback module 402 may be any suitableinstructions that can be utilized for controlling the value of anysuitable media playback characteristic of media played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20, such as the volume level of played back audiomedia, the brightness or white point of played back video media, and/orthe spectral content of the played back media.

Media playback module 402 may process the received media and thereceived playback control data to generate and transmit controlled mediainformation to second accessory device 280 for output to a user ofsystem 1 (e.g., user U). For example, as shown, controlled mediainformation 449 may be generated by media playback module 402 based onthe media and playback control data received by media playback module402, and controlled media information 449 may be then be transmitted tosecond accessory device 280 (e.g., via second communications component216, communications set-up 255 and communications component 296).

As also shown in FIG. 2, second accessory device 280 may include asecond accessory control system 481 that may optionally be used to atleast partially dictate the value of one or more media playbackcharacteristics of media being played back by media playback component292 of second accessory device 280 after a media playback transitionfrom first electronic subsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20.For example, second accessory control system 481 of second accessorydevice 280 may include a media playback module 482 that may beconfigured to receive controlled media information 449 from mediaplayback module 402 of second electronic device 200. Moreover, mediaplayback module 482 may be configured to receive playback control datafrom various control sources, such as inputted playback control data 447from input component 290 of second accessory device 280 (e.g., inputtedplayback control data 447 may be determined by a user's interaction witha user interface of second accessory device 280, such as a user'spressing of a “volume up” button 290 of second accessory device 280).The received playback control data may be any suitable instructions forcontrolling the value of any suitable media playback characteristic,such as the volume level of played back audio media, the brightness orwhite point of played back video media, and/or the spectral content ofthe played back media. Media playback module 482 may process thereceived media and the received playback control data of controlledmedia information 449 from second electronic device 200 along with anyother received playback control data (e.g., inputted playback controldata 447) to generate and transmit accessory controlled mediainformation 459 to media playback component 292 for output to a user ofsecond accessory device 280.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, media playback module 482 of secondaccessory control system 481 may generate and transmit accessorycontrolled media information 459 to media playback component 292, andmedia playback component 292 may in turn output second played backaccessory media 231 that may be initially played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20 after the media playback transition and that maybe experienced by a user of first electronic subsystem 10 (e.g., user Umay hear second played back accessory audio media 231 via a loud speakermedia playback component 292 and/or user U may see second played backaccessory video media 231 via a display media play back component 292).Media playback module 402 of second electronic device 200 maycontinuously update controlled media information 449 with differentplayback control data as new playback control data is received by mediaplayback module 402, and/or media playback module 482 of secondaccessory device 280 may continuously update accessory controlled mediainformation 459 with different playback control data as new playbackcontrol data is received by media playback module 482, such that thevalue of one or more playback characteristics of second played backaccessory media 231 may be continuously changed during playback of mediato a user of system 1.

During a media playback transition from first electronic subsystem 10 tosecond electronic subsystem 20, shared initial playback control data 315may be used to at least partially dictate an initial playbackcharacteristic value of second played back accessory media 231 outputtedby second electronic subsystem 20. For example, in some embodiments,during such a media playback transition, controlled media information449 may be generated by media playback module 402 based on sharedinitial playback control data 315 alone (e.g., not also based on controldata 407). In other embodiments, during such a media playbacktransition, controlled media information 449 may be generated by mediaplayback module 402 based on shared initial playback control data 315 incombination with one or more other types of received control data (e.g.,control data 407). When shared initial playback control data 315 isreceived by media playback module 402, controlled media information 449generated by media playback module 402 may cause media playbackcomponent 292 to output initial second played back accessory media 231as initially played back media with a playback media characteristic atleast partially dictated by shared initial playback control data 315.

As mentioned, information collection module 406 of second device controlsystem 401 of second electronic device 200 may be configured todetermine one or more types of information about second electronicsubsystem 20 that may be utilized by system 1 during a media playbacktransition. For example, information collection module 406 may beconfigured to determine at least one playback characteristic value ofmedia played back by second electronic subsystem 20. Moreover,information collection module 406 may be configured to collect certainrelationship playback control data 421 that may be at least partiallyindicative of a relationship between first electronic subsystem 10 andsecond electronic subsystem 20. Based on some or all of the receiveddata, information collection module 406 may generate and transmit secondsubsystem relationship data 325 to first electronic subsystem 10 (e.g.,to relationship data source 310 of first electronic device 100 viacommunications set-up 55 and first communication components 106 and206).

Information collection module 406 may determine at least one playbackcharacteristic value of second played back accessory media 231 initiallyplayed back by second accessory device 280 during a media playbacktransition from first electronic subsystem 10 to second electronicsubsystem 20. For example, as shown, information collection module 406may be configured to receive second sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 443 from sensor 214 of second electronicdevice 200. Second sensed accessory playback characteristic value data443 may be generated by sensor 214 based on the sensed value of aplayback characteristic of second played back accessory media 231initially outputted by media playback component 292 of second accessorydevice 280 during a media playback transition in response to sharedinitial playback control data 315. For example, sensor 214 may be amicrophone configured to sense the volume of second played backaccessory audio media 231 and transmit second sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 443 indicative of that sensed volume toinformation collection module 406. As another example, sensor 214 may bea light sensor configured to sense the brightness or white point or anyother suitable characteristic of second played back accessory videomedia 231 and transmit second sensed accessory playback characteristicvalue data 443 indicative of that sensed brightness or white point orany other suitable characteristic to information collection module 406.

Additionally or alternatively, information collection module 406 may beconfigured to receive second sensed accessory playback characteristicvalue data 455 from sensor 294 of second accessory device 280. Secondsensed accessory playback characteristic value data 455 may be generatedby sensor 294 based on the sensed value of a playback characteristic ofsecond played back accessory media 231 initially outputted by mediaplayback component 292 of second accessory device 280 during a mediaplayback transition in response to shared initial playback control data315. For example, sensor 294 may be a microphone configured to sense thevolume of second played back accessory audio media 231 and transmitsecond sensed accessory playback characteristic value data 455indicative of that sensed volume to information collection module 406.As another example, sensor 294 may be a light sensor configured to sensethe brightness or white point or any other suitable characteristic ofsecond played back accessory video media 231 and transmit second sensedaccessory playback characteristic value data 455 indicative of thatsensed brightness or white point or any other suitable characteristic toinformation collection module 406.

Additionally or alternatively, information collection module 406 may beconfigured to receive second internal accessory playback characteristicvalue data 453 from within second accessory control system 481. Forexample, second internal accessory playback characteristic value data453 may be internally generated by media playback module 482 of secondaccessory control system 481 based on a playback characteristic value ofaccessory controlled media information 459 initially generated during amedia playback transition in response to shared initial playback controldata 315. For example, media playback module 482 may be configured todetermine what a sensed playback characteristic value of controlledmedia information 459 would be when outputted by media playbackcomponent 292 as second played back accessory media 231 withoutrequiring that value to be physically sensed by sensor 294 (e.g., mediaplayback module 482 may leverage known controlled media information 459with known characteristics of media playback component 292 to internallydetermine a playback characteristic value of second played backaccessory media 231 outputted by media playback component 292 andthereby generate second internal accessory playback characteristic valuedata 453).

Therefore, information collection module 406 may generate secondsubsystem relationship data 325 at least partially based on one or moreof second sensed playback characteristic value data 427, second internalplayback characteristic value data 413, relationship playback controldata 421, second sensed accessory playback characteristic value data443, second sensed accessory playback characteristic value data 455,second internal accessory playback characteristic value data 453, andany combination thereof. This second subsystem relationship data 325 maythen be transmitted by information collection module 406 to firstelectronic subsystem 10 for helping enable a consistent user experiencefor user U during the media playback transition (e.g., for at leastpartially dictating the generation of shared initial playback controldata 315).

Once second played back accessory media 231 is initially outputted bymedia playback component 292 of second accessory device 280 (e.g.,rather than or in addition to second played back media 221 beinginitially outputted by media playback component 212 of second electronicdevice 200) in response to shared initial playback control data 315being received by media playback module 402 during a media playbacktransition, such second played back accessory media 231 may be detectedby first electronic subsystem 10 in order to determine whether anyadditional playback control data is needed to adjust the playback ofmedia from second electronic subsystem 20. For example, media transitionmodule 306 of first device control system 301 may sense at least oneplayback characteristic value of second played back accessory media 231outputted by second electronic subsystem 20 in response to sharedinitial playback control data 315 being received by media playbackmodule 402 during a media playback transition. As shown in FIG. 2, forexample, media transition module 306 may be configured to receive secondsensed accessory playback characteristic value data 343 from sensor 114of first electronic device 100. Second sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 343 may be generated by sensor 114 based onthe sensed value of a playback characteristic of second played backaccessory media 231 initially outputted by media playback component 292during a media playback transition in response to shared initialplayback control data 315. For example, sensor 114 may be a microphoneconfigured to sense the volume of second played back accessory audiomedia 231 and transmit second sensed accessory playback characteristicvalue data 343 indicative of that sensed volume to media transitionmodule 306. As another example, sensor 114 may be a light sensorconfigured to sense the brightness or white point or any other suitablecharacteristic of second played back accessory video media 231 andtransmit second sensed accessory playback characteristic value data 343indicative of that sensed brightness or white point or any othersuitable characteristic to media transition module 306.

Additionally or alternatively, media transition module 306 may beconfigured to receive second sensed accessory playback characteristicvalue data 355 from sensor 194 of first accessory device 180 (e.g., viacommunications component 196, communications set-up 155, and secondcommunications component 116). Second sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 355 may be generated by sensor 194 based onthe sensed value of a playback characteristic of second played backaccessory media 231 initially outputted by media playback component 292of second accessory device 280 during a media playback transition inresponse to shared initial playback control data 315. For example,sensor 194 may be a microphone configured to sense the volume of secondplayed back accessory audio media 231 and transmit second sensedaccessory playback characteristic value data 355 indicative of thatsensed volume to media transition module 306. As another example, sensor194 may be a light sensor configured to sense the brightness or whitepoint or any other suitable characteristic of second played backaccessory video media 231 and transmit second sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 355 indicative of that sensed brightness orwhite point or any other suitable characteristic to media transitionmodule 306.

After the initial media playback transition from first electronicsubsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20, shared adjustmentplayback control data 329 may be used to at least partially adjust acurrent playback characteristic value of media played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20. For example, in some embodiments, after theinitial media playback transition (e.g., after second played back media231 is initially outputted by accessory media playback component 292 inresponse to initial controlled media information 449 that may be atleast partially based on shared initial playback control data 315),controlled media information 449 may be adjusted or otherwise updated bymedia playback module 402 at least partially based on shared adjustmentplayback control data 329. When shared adjustment playback control data329 is received by media playback module 402, adjusted controlled mediainformation 449 generated by media playback module 402 at leastpartially based on shared adjustment playback control data 329 may causeaccessory media playback component 292 to output adjusted third playedback media 233 as adjusted played back media with a playback mediacharacteristic at least partially dictated by shared adjustment playbackcontrol data 329.

Adjusted third played back media 233 may then be sensed by sensor 214 ofsecond electronic device 200 of second electronic subsystem 20 fordefining adjusted third sensed accessory playback characteristic valuedata 445, which may then be leveraged by information collection module406 for updating second subsystem relationship data 325. Additionally oralternatively, adjusted third played back media 233 may then be sensedby sensor 294 of second accessory device 280 of second electronicsubsystem 20 for defining adjusted third sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 475, which may then be leveraged byinformation collection module 406 (e.g., via communications set-up 255)for updating second subsystem relationship data 325. Additionally oralternatively, adjusted third played back media 233 may then be sensedby sensor 114 of first electronic device 100 of first electronicsubsystem 10 for defining adjusted third sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 345, which may then be leveraged by mediatransition module 306 for updating shared adjustment playback controldata 329. Additionally or alternatively, adjusted third played backmedia 233 may then be sensed by sensor 194 of first accessory device 180of first electronic subsystem 10 for defining adjusted third sensedaccessory playback characteristic value data 375, which may then beleveraged by media transition module 306 (e.g., via communicationsset-up 155) for updating shared adjustment playback control data 329.Therefore, first electronic subsystem 10 may sense and iterativelyand/or adaptively adjust a playback characteristic value of media playedback by second electronic subsystem 20 after a transition.

In other embodiments, first electronic subsystem 10 may only includefirst electronic device 100 without any first accessory device 180, yetsecond electronic system 20 may include not only second electronicdevice 200 but also second accessory device 280. In such embodiments,first electronic device 100 may include any suitable device that may beconfigured to playback media, determine a first value of acharacteristic of media played back by first electronic device 100 thatmay be detected in the environment of first electronic device 100,determine a second value of the characteristic of media played back bysecond electronic subsystem 20 that may be detected in the environmentof first electronic device 100, and share certain information withsecond electronic subsystem 20 based on the determined first and secondvalues, while second electronic device 200 may include any suitabledevice that may be configured to receive the shared information fromfirst electronic device 100 but that may require second accessory device280 in order for second electronic subsystem 20 to playback media and/oradjust the value of the characteristic of the media played back bysecond electronic subsystem 20 based on the shared information. Forexample, in such embodiments, first electronic device 100 may be aniPhone™ or any other suitable device having a media playback component112, a media sensor 114, and first communications component 106 that canshare information via communications set-up 55 with first communicationscomponent 206 of second electronic device 200, while second electronicdevice 200 may be a “limited smart” media playback device or residentialgateway or any other suitable gateway or media receiver (e.g., anAirPort Express™, an AirPort Extreme™, or an Apple TV™ made available byApple Inc.) having a first communications component 206 for receivingthe shared information from first electronic device 100 and a secondcommunications component 216 for communicating with second accessorydevice 280, but such a second electronic device 200 may not have or usea media playback component that actually outputs media to a user ofsystem 1. In such embodiments, second electronic device 200 may beconfigured to instruct second accessory component 280 (e.g., viacommunications set-up 255) to playback media and adjust the value of thecharacteristic of the media played back by second accessory component280 based on the shared information received by second electronic device200 from first electronic device 100. Such a second accessory device 280may be any media playback device, such as a stereo or television, havinga media playback component 292 and communications component 296 (e.g.,an audio and/or video line-in port).

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, first electronicsubsystem 10 may not only include first electronic device 100 but alsofirst accessory device 180, while second electronic system 20 mayinclude second electronic device 200 with or without second accessorydevice 280. In such embodiments, first accessory device 180 may includea media playback sensor 194 (e.g., when first electronic device 100 doesnot include or does not use a media playback sensor 114), such thatmedia playback sensor 194 may be configured to determine a first valueof a characteristic of media played back by first electronic subsystem10 that may be detected in the environment of first electronic subsystem10, determine a second value of the characteristic of media played backby second electronic subsystem 20 that may be detected in theenvironment of first electronic subsystem 10, and share these determinedvalues with first electronic device 100 via communications set-up 155,while first electronic device 100 may be configured to share certaininformation based on the determined first and second values with secondelectronic subsystem 20 via communications set-up 55. For example, firstaccessory device 180 may be a microphone or light sensor that may becoupled via a wire to first electronic device 100, which may be an iPodNano™ or any other suitable electronic device that does not have abuilt-in microphone or light sensor. Additionally or alternatively, insuch embodiments, first accessory device 180 may include a mediaplayback component 192 (e.g., when first electronic device 100 does notinclude or use a media playback component 112), such that media playbackcomponent 192 may be configured to playback media for first electronicsubsystem 10. For example, first accessory device 180 may be headphonesor a head mounted display that may be coupled to first electronic device100, which may be an iPod Shuffle™ or any other suitable electronicdevice that does not have or use a built-in loud speaker or display.

Therefore, first electronic subsystem 10 of system 1 may include anysuitable first electronic device 100 with or without any suitable firstaccessory device 180, and second electronic subsystem 20 of system 1 mayinclude any suitable second electronic device 200 with or without anysuitable second accessory device 280. By generating shared initialplayback control data 315 based on how first played back media 121and/or 131 played back by first electronic subsystem 10 may be sensed bya sensor of first electronic subsystem 10 before a transition and/orbased on a relationship between subsystems 10 and 20, and then bydictating how initial second played back media 221 and/or 331 may beplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 initially after atransition based on such shared initial playback control data 315, sucha system 1 may help provide a consistent user experience during theinitial transition. Additionally or alternatively, by generating sharedadjustment playback control data 329 based on how initial second playedback media 221 and/or 331 may be sensed by a sensor of first electronicsubsystem 10 after an initial transition and/or based on a relationshipbetween subsystems 10 and 20, and then by dictating how adjusted thirdplayed back media 223 and/or 233 may be played back by second electronicsubsystem 20 after the transition based on such shared adjustmentplayback control data 329, such a system 1 may help provide a consistentuser experience during the transition.

System 1 may also be configured in various other ways and may includevarious other combinations of various devices while still providing aconsistent experience for a user of system 1 (e.g., user U proximate tofirst electronic subsystem 10) as the playback of media is switched fromfirst electronic subsystem 10 to second electronic subsystem 20. Forexample, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3C, system 1 may includefirst electronic subsystem 10 and not only original second electronicsubsystem 20 but also another second electronic subsystem 20 a. Othersecond electronic subsystem 20 a may be any suitable electronicsubsystem and may be substantially identical to original secondelectronic subsystem 20. However, as shown in FIG. 3C, original secondelectronic subsystem 20 and other second electronic subsystem 20 a maybe positioned at different locations from one another. For example,original second electronic subsystem 20 may be positioned at locationL2, while other second electronic subsystem 20 a may be positioned atlocation L3, and locations L2 and L3 may be separated by a distance D7.

When first electronic subsystem 10 moves (e.g., along with user U) froma first location to a second location within system 1, the playback ofmedia may be at least partially transitioned from original secondelectronic subsystem 20 to other second electronic subsystem 20 a. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 3C, first electronic subsystem 10 may be movedfrom an initial location L1 along arrow X1 to an intermediate locationL4 and then along arrow X2 to a final location L5 within system 1. Whenat initial location L1, first electronic subsystem 10 may be a distanceD1 from original second electronic subsystem 20 but also a distance D4from other second electronic subsystem 20 a. Moreover, when atintermediate location L4, first electronic subsystem 10 may be adistance D2 from original second electronic subsystem 20 but also adistance D5 from other second electronic subsystem 20 a. Furthermore,when at final location L5, first electronic subsystem 10 may be adistance D3 from original second electronic subsystem 20 but also adistance D6 from other second electronic subsystem 20 a. Due to thesevarying distances between first electronic subsystem 10 and each one ofsecond electronic subsystems 20 and 20 a, system 1 may be configured toprovide a consistent experience for a user of system 1 (e.g., user Uthat may be holding first electronic subsystem 10) as the playback ofmedia is switched from first electronic subsystem 10 to original secondelectronic subsystem 20 and then to other second electronic subsystem 20a.

For example, once the playback of media has been switched from firstelectronic subsystem 10 at location L1 to original second electronicsubsystem 20 at location L2 (e.g., as described above with respect toFIGS. 1-3B), first electronic subsystem 10 may be moved from initiallocation L1 towards final location L5. During this movement, thedistance between first electronic subsystem 10 and original secondelectronic subsystem 20 may change (e.g., from distance D1 to D2). Asthis distance changes, so may change distance relationship playbackcontrol data 321 that may be provided to media transition module 306(e.g., as described above with respect to distance D of FIG. 3), and,therefore so may change shared adjustment playback control data 329 thatmay control an adjustment of adjusted third sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 331 for adjusting a playback characteristicvalue of media played back by second electronic subsystem 20. In someembodiments, system 1 may have one or more limits that may prevent aplayback characteristic value of media played back by second electronicsubsystem 20 from going beyond a certain cut-off value. For example, asthe distance between first electronic subsystem 10 and second electronicsubsystem 20 increases, a volume playback characteristic value of mediaplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 may also be increased inorder to maintain a consistent user experience of the played back media.However, system 1 may be configured such that a volume playbackcharacteristic value of media played back by second electronic subsystem20 may only be increased up to a certain cut-off volume so that a mediaplayback component (e.g., a loud speaker media playback component 212)of second electronic subsystem 20 does not burst or break or otherwisedamage itself. In such embodiments, in order to maintain the consistentuser experience of the played back media, system 1 may be configured toat least partially transition the playback of media from original secondelectronic subsystem 20 to other second electronic subsystem 20 a.

Original second electronic subsystem 20 may be configured to communicatedirectly with other second electronic subsystem 20 a via acommunications set-up 355, which may be similar to either communicationsset-up 55, 155, and/or 255. Additionally or alternatively, originalsecond electronic subsystem 20 may be configured to communicate withother second electronic subsystem 20 a via first electronic subsystem 10(e.g., via communications set-up 55 a between subsystems 10 and 20, andvia communications set-up 55 b between subsystems 10 and 20 a). In anyof such embodiments, the distance between subsystem 10 and each one ofsubsystems 20 and 20 a may be known by all subsystems of system 1. As aparticular playback characteristic value (e.g., volume) of media playedback by second electronic subsystem 20 approaches a certain cut-offvalue, system 1 may be configured to identify at least one additionalsecond electronic subsystem (e.g., other second electronic subsystem 20a) that may be utilized by system 1 to playback media for user U.Additionally or alternatively, as a particular relationship value (e.g.,distance) between first electronic subsystem 10 and other secondelectronic subsystem 20 a approaches a certain threshold value (e.g., assubsystem 10 is moved to within at least a certain distance of othersecond electronic subsystem 20 a), system 1 may be configured to atleast partially utilize that other second electronic subsystem 20 a toplayback media for user U. Either reaching a certain cut-off value of aplayback characteristic value of original second electronic subsystem 20and/or reaching a certain threshold value of a relationship valuebetween first electronic subsystem 10 and other second electronicsubsystem 20 a may be collectively referred to herein as a subsystemtransition event. In response to detecting a subsystem transition event,system 1 may be configured to achieve the initial playback and/or adjustthe further playback of media by other second electronic subsystem 20 asimilarly to the initial playback and/or further playback of media byoriginal second electronic subsystem 20 (e.g., as described above withrespect to FIGS. 1-3B).

Therefore, in response to detecting a subsystem transition event, system1 may be configured to adjust a playback characteristic value of mediaplayed back by original second electronic subsystem 20 in conjunctionwith adjustments to that playback characteristic value of media playedback by other second electronic subsystem 20 a, such that the combinedplayback characteristic value of the media played back by each one ofsecond electronic subsystems 20 and 20 a as sensed by first electronicsubsystem 10 may be consistent as first electronic subsystem 10 may move(e.g., from initial location L1, to intermediate location L4, and thento final location L5). This may be useful when user U carries firstelectronic subsystem 10 from a first room containing original secondelectronic subsystem 20 to a second room containing other secondelectronic subsystem 20 a, such that the playback of media may be atleast partially transition from being played back by original secondelectronic subsystem 20 to being played back by other second electronicsubsystem 20 a while maintaining a consistent user experience for user U(e.g., while maintaining a constant volume playback characteristic valueof the played back media as experienced by user U at first electronicsubsystem 10). This may be useful in any situation where a user may wanta consistent user experience when the playback of media is transitionedfrom a first subsystem to a second subsystem due to the user's movementwithin a system (e.g., movement from one location to another within agrocery store or an amusement park or anywhere else that may havemultiple subsystems configured to playback media to a moving user). Inother embodiments, rather than at least partially transitioning mediaplayback between second subsystems 20 and 20 a due to a subsystemtransition event based on a change in a distance relationship betweenfirst electronic subsystem 10 and original second electronic subsystem20, media playback may be transitioned between second subsystems 20 and20 a due to a subsystem transition event based on a change in any othersuitable relationship characteristic, such as orientation or frequencyresponse, between first electronic subsystem 10 and original secondelectronic subsystem 20.

Although system 1 is only shown to include two electronic subsystems inFIGS. 1-3B, it is to be understood that system 1 may include three ormore electronic subsystems as shown in FIG. 3C, each of which maycommunicate with one another directly or indirectly. The networkarchitecture of system 1 may be configured in many suitable ways. Forexample, in some embodiments, when data is transmitted from a particularelectronic subsystem, that particular electronic subsystem may broadcastthe data to all of the other synched electronic subsystems within system1 that it may be in communication with (e.g., system 1 may bedecentralized). In another embodiment, when data is transmitted from aparticular electronic subsystem, that particular electronic subsystemmay share the data to a particular “master” electronic subsystem withinsystem 1, and that master electronic subsystem may then share thereceived data with any other synched electronic subsystems within system1. Such a configuration may reduce the number of communication channelsbetween electronic subsystems and bandwidth in the system but mayincrease the latency.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an illustrative process 400 for transitioningthe playback of media. Process 400 may begin at step 402 by playing backfirst media with a first playback value of a first playbackcharacteristic using a first electronic subsystem of a system. Forexample, as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3B, first electronicsubsystem 10 of system 1 may be configured to playback first played backmedia 121 and/or first played back accessory media 131 with a firstplayback value of a first playback characteristic (e.g., a first volumevalue or a first brightness value). Next, at step 404, process 400 mayinclude determining a first relationship value of a first relationshipcharacteristic between the first electronic subsystem and a secondelectronic subsystem of the system. For example, as described above,system 1 (e.g., media transition module 306) may be configured todetermine a distance value or an orientation value or a frequencyresponse value between first electronic subsystem 10 and secondelectronic subsystem 20 of system 1 (e.g., using relationship playbackcontrol data 321). Then, at step 406, process 400 may include playingback second media with a second playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic using the second electronic subsystem, where the secondplayback value is based on the first playback value and the firstrelationship value. For example, as described above, second electronicsubsystem 20 may playback second media with a second playback value ofthe first playback characteristic based on shared initial playbackcontrol data 315, where shared initial playback control data 315 may bebased on relationship playback control data 321 and the first playbackvalue (e.g., first sensed playback characteristic value data 311, firstaccessory sensed playback characteristic value data 357, first internalplayback characteristic value data 313, first internal accessoryplayback characteristic value data 353, first sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 341, and/or first sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 351).

In some embodiments, the first relationship characteristic determined atstep 404 may include one of a distance and an orientation between thefirst electronic subsystem and the second electronic subsystem. In someembodiments, the first playback characteristic may include one of avolume, a brightness, a white point, and a spectral content. In someembodiments, process 400 may also include sensing a third playback valueof the first playback characteristic of the second media using the firstelectronic subsystem when the second media is being played back by thesecond electronic subsystem, comparing the first playback value and thesensed third playback value, and then, after the comparing, adjustingthe playback value of the first playback characteristic of the secondmedia using the second electronic subsystem when the second media isbeing played back by the second electronic subsystem, where theadjusting is based on the comparing. Alternatively, process 400 may alsoinclude sensing a third playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic of the second media using the first electronic subsystemwhen the second media is being played back by the second electronicsubsystem, comparing the first playback value and the sensed thirdplayback value, and then, after the comparing, adjusting the playbackvalue of the first playback characteristic of the second media using thesecond electronic subsystem when the second media is being played backby the second electronic subsystem, where the adjusting is based on thecomparing and the first relationship value.

It is to be understood that the steps shown in process 400 of FIG. 4 ismerely illustrative and that existing steps may be modified or omitted,additional steps may be added, and the order of certain steps may bealtered.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an illustrative process 500 for transitioningthe playback of media. Process 500 may begin at step 502 by playing backfirst media using a first playback component of a first electronicsubsystem. For example, as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3B,first electronic subsystem 10 of system 1 may be configured to playbackfirst played back media 121 and/or first played back accessory media131. Next, at step 504, process 500 may include determining a firstplayback value of a first playback characteristic of the played backfirst media. For example, as described above, system 1 may determine thefirst playback value with first sensed playback characteristic valuedata 311, first accessory sensed playback characteristic value data 357,first internal playback characteristic value data 313, first internalaccessory playback characteristic value data 353, first sensed accessoryplayback characteristic value data 341, and/or first sensed accessoryplayback characteristic value data 351.

Next, at step 506, process 500 may include playing back second mediawith an initial playback value of the first playback characteristicusing a second playback component of a second electronic subsystem. Forexample, as described above, system 1 may include using shared initialplayback control data 315 to dictate an initial playback value of thefirst playback characteristic of second played back audio media 221and/or second played back accessory media 231 by second electronicsubsystem 20. Then, during the playing back of the second media with theinitial playback value at step 506, process 500 may also include step508 that may determine a second playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic of the played back second media using a first sensor ofthe first electronic subsystem. For example, as described above, firstelectronic subsystem 10 may determine a second playback value of thefirst playback characteristic of the played back second media usingsecond sensed playback characteristic value data 327, second accessorysensed playback characteristic value data 369, second sensed accessoryplayback characteristic value data 343, second sensed accessory playbackcharacteristic value data 355, second sensed playback characteristicvalue data 427, second accessory sensed playback characteristic valuedata 469, second internal playback characteristic value data 413, secondinternal accessory playback characteristic value data 453, second sensedaccessory playback characteristic value data 443, and/or second sensedaccessory playback characteristic value data 455).

Next, at step 510, process 500 may include comparing the determinedfirst playback value and the determined second playback value. Forexample, as described above, system 1 may include comparing the firstplayback value and the second playback value to generate sharedadjustment playback control data 329. Then, after the comparing of step510, process 500 may include step 512 that may include adjusting theplayback value of the first playback characteristic of the second mediafrom the initial playback value of the first playback characteristic toan adjusted playback value of the first playback characteristic usingthe second playback component when the second media is being played backby the second electronic subsystem, where the adjusted playback value ofthe first playback characteristic is based on the comparing. Forexample, as described above, shared adjustment playback control data 329may adjust the playback value of the first playback characteristic ofthe second media from the initial playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic to an adjusted playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic using media playback component 212 and/or media playbackcomponent 292 when the second media is being played back by secondelectronic subsystem 20 as adjusted third played back media 223 and/oradjusted third played back media 233.

In some embodiments, the first playback characteristic of process 500may include one of a volume, a brightness, a white point, and a spectralcontent. Prior to the playing back the second media with the initialplayback value of the first playback characteristic of step 506, process500 may also include determining a first relationship value of a firstrelationship characteristic between the first electronic subsystem andthe second electronic subsystem, and the initial playback value of thefirst playback characteristic may be based on at least one of the firstplayback value and the first relationship value. In such embodiments,the first relationship characteristic may include one of a distance andan orientation between the first electronic subsystem and the secondelectronic subsystem. In some embodiments, the determining the firstplayback value of the first playback characteristic of step 504 mayinclude using the first sensor. Alternatively, the determining the firstplayback value of the first playback characteristic of step 504 may notinclude using the first sensor. In yet other embodiments, thedetermining the first playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic of step 504 may include using a calendar application ofthe first electronic subsystem.

In some particular embodiments, process 500 may also include, after step502 but before step 506, determining an ambient value of the firstplayback characteristic, where the adjusted playback value of the firstplayback characteristic may be based on the determined ambient value andthe comparing of step 510. In yet other embodiments, process 500 mayalso include detecting an occurrence of a subsystem transition eventand, in response to the detection of the occurrence, playing back thirdmedia with a third playback value of the first playback characteristicusing a third playback component of a third electronic subsystem. Insuch embodiments, the occurrence of the subsystem transition event mayinclude at least one of the adjusted playback value of the firstplayback characteristic reaching a cut-off value and a relationshipvalue between the first electronic subsystem and the third electronicsubsystem reaching a threshold value.

It is to be understood that the steps shown in process 500 of FIG. 5 ismerely illustrative and that existing steps may be modified or omitted,additional steps may be added, and the order of certain steps may bealtered.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an illustrative process 600 for transitioningthe playback of media. Process 600 may begin at step 602 by determininga first value of a first playback characteristic of first media forplayback with a first media playback component of a first electronicsubsystem. For example, as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3B,system 1 may determine the first playback value with first sensedplayback characteristic value data 311, first accessory sensed playbackcharacteristic value data 357, first internal playback characteristicvalue data 313, first internal accessory playback characteristic valuedata 353, first sensed accessory playback characteristic value data 341,and/or first sensed accessory playback characteristic value data 351.Next, at step 604, process 600 may include playing back second mediawith an initial value of the first playback characteristic using asecond media playback component of a second electronic subsystem whenthe second media playback component is positioned at a first location.For example, as described above, system 1 may include an initialplayback value of the first playback characteristic of second playedback audio media 221 and/or of second played back accessory media 231 asplayed back by second electronic subsystem 20 at location L2. Then, atstep 606, process 600 may also include determining a second value of thefirst playback characteristic of the played back second media using afirst sensor of the first electronic subsystem when the first sensor ispositioned at a second location. For example, as described above, sensor114 and/or sensor 194 of first electronic subsystem 10 at location L1may determine a second value of the first playback characteristic ofsecond played back media 221 and/or second played back accessory media231.

Next, at step 608, process 600 may include comparing the determinedfirst value and the determined second value. For example, as describedabove, system 1 may include comparing the first playback value and thesecond playback value to generate shared adjustment playback controldata 329. Then, after the comparing of step 608, process 600 may includestep 610 that may include adjusting the value of the first playbackcharacteristic of the second media from the initial value to an adjustedvalue using the second electronic subsystem, where the adjusting thevalue is based on the comparison. For example, as described above,shared adjustment playback control data 329 may adjust the playbackvalue of the first playback characteristic of the second media from theinitial playback value of the first playback characteristic to anadjusted playback value of the first playback characteristic using mediaplayback component 212 and/or media playback component 292 when thesecond media is being played back by second electronic subsystem 20 asadjusted third played back media 223 and/or adjusted third played backmedia 233.

In some embodiments, process 600 may also include determining a distancebetween the first location and the second location, where the adjustingthe value may include adjusting the value based on the comparison andbased on the determined distance. In other embodiments, process 600 mayinclude determining an orientation of the first sensor with respect tothe second media playback component when the first sensor is positionedat the second location and when the second media playback component ispositioned at the first location, where the adjusting the value mayinclude adjusting the value based on the comparison and based on thedetermined orientation. In yet other embodiments, process 600 may alsoinclude determining a distance between the first location and the secondlocation and determining an orientation of the first sensor with respectto the second media playback component when the first sensor ispositioned at the second location and when the second media playbackcomponent is positioned at the first location, where the adjusting thevalue may include adjusting the value based on the comparison, thedetermined distance, and the determined orientation. In still yet otherembodiments, before step 606, process 600 may also include instructing auser to maintain the first sensor in a particular fashion with respectto the second media playback component.

In some embodiments, prior to the playing back the second media of step604, process 600 may also include playing back the first media with thefirst media playback component, where the playing back the first mediamay include streaming the first media from a server with the first mediaplayback component and the playing back the second media may includestreaming the second media from the server with the second mediaplayback component. In some other embodiments, prior to the playing backthe second media of step 604, process 600 may also include playing backthe first media with the first media playback component, where theplaying back the first media may include playing back the first mediafrom a local memory of the first electronic subsystem with the firstmedia playback component and the playing back the second media mayinclude streaming the second media from the local memory of the firstelectronic subsystem with the second media playback component. In stillyet other embodiments, prior to the playing back the second media ofstep 604, process 600 may also include playing back the first media withthe first media playback component, where the playing back the firstmedia may include playing back the first media from a first local memoryof the first electronic subsystem with the first media playbackcomponent and the playing back the second media may include playing backthe second media from a second local memory of the second electronicsubsystem with the second media playback component.

In some embodiments, after the adjusting of step 610, process 600 mayalso include determining a third value of the first playbackcharacteristic of the played back second media using the first sensorwhen the first sensor is positioned at the second location, where theadjusting may ensure that the determined first value is equal to thedetermined third value. In other embodiments, before playing back thesecond media at step 604, process 600 may also include determining anambient value of the first playback characteristic, where the adjustingthe value of the first playback characteristic of the second media ofstep 610 may be based on the comparison and the determined ambientvalue.

It is to be understood that the steps shown in process 600 of FIG. 6 ismerely illustrative and that existing steps may be modified or omitted,additional steps may be added, and the order of certain steps may bealtered.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an illustrative process 700 for transitioningthe playback of media. Process 700 may begin at step 702 by playing backfirst media with a first playback value of a first playbackcharacteristic using a second electronic subsystem. For example, asdescribed above with respect to FIGS. 1-3C, original second electronicsubsystem 20 may playback media 221 and/or media 231 with a firstplayback value of a first playback characteristic. Then, during theplaying back of the first media at step 702, process 700 may alsoinclude detecting an occurrence of a subsystem transition event using afirst electronic subsystem at step 704. For example, as described above,first electronic subsystem 10 of system 1 may be configured to detect anoccurrence of a subsystem transition event (e.g., when a certain cut-offvalue of a playback characteristic value of output media 121/131 oforiginal second electronic subsystem 20 is reached and/or when a certainthreshold value of a relationship value between first electronicsubsystem 10 and other second electronic subsystem 20 a is reached).Then, in response to the detection of the occurrence at step 704,process 700 may also include playing back second media with a secondplayback value of the first playback characteristic using the thirdelectronic subsystem. For example, as described above, in response tothe detection of an occurrence of a subsystem transition event, media121, 131, 221, and/or 231 may be played back by other second electronicsubsystem 20 a with a second playback value of the first playbackcharacteristic.

In some embodiments, the occurrence of the subsystem transition event ofprocess 700 may include the first playback value reaching a cut-offvalue. In such embodiments, the first playback characteristic mayinclude a volume and the cut-off value may include an upper threshold ora lower threshold of a volume output level of the second electronicsubsystem. In other embodiments, the occurrence of the subsystemtransition event of process 700 may include a relationship value betweenthe first electronic subsystem and the third electronic subsystemreaching a threshold value. In such embodiments, the relationship valuemay include one of a distance and an orientation between the firstelectronic subsystem and the third electronic subsystem.

It is to be understood that the steps shown in process 700 of FIG. 7 ismerely illustrative and that existing steps may be modified or omitted,additional steps may be added, and the order of certain steps may bealtered.

Moreover, the processes described with respect to FIGS. 1-7, as well asany other aspects of the invention, may each be implemented by software,but may also be implemented in hardware, firmware, or any combination ofsoftware, hardware, and firmware. They each may also be embodied asmachine- or computer-readable code recorded on a machine- orcomputer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be any datastorage device that can store data or instructions which can thereafterbe read by a computer system. Examples of the computer-readable mediummay include, but are not limited to, read-only memory, random-accessmemory, flash memory, CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic tape, and optical datastorage devices (e.g., memory 104, memory 184, memory 204, memory 284,server 70, server 170, and/or server 270 of FIG. 1). Thecomputer-readable medium can also be distributed over network-coupledcomputer systems so that the computer readable code is stored andexecuted in a distributed fashion. For example, the computer-readablemedium may be communicated from one electronic subsystem or device toanother electronic subsystem or device using any suitable communicationsprotocol (e.g., the computer-readable medium may be communicated tofirst electronic subsystem 10 via communications circuitry 106 fromserver 70 and/or second electronic subsystem 20. The computer-readablemedium may embody computer-readable code, instructions, data structures,program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as acarrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include anyinformation delivery media. A modulated data signal may be a signal thathas one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manneras to encode information in the signal.

It is to be understood that any or each module of any one or more offirst device control system 301, first accessory control system 381,second device control system 401, and second accessory control system481 may be provided as a software construct, firmware construct, one ormore hardware components, or a combination thereof. For example, any oneor more of first device control system 301, first accessory controlsystem 381, second device control system 401, and second accessorycontrol system 481 may be described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions, such as program modules, that may beexecuted by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, a programmodule may include one or more routines, programs, objects, components,and/or data structures that may perform one or more particular tasks orthat may implement one or more particular abstract data types. It isalso to be understood that the number, configuration, functionality, andinterconnection of the modules of any one or more of first devicecontrol system 301, first accessory control system 381, second devicecontrol system 401, and second accessory control system 481 are merelyillustrative, and that the number, configuration, functionality, andinterconnection of existing modules may be modified or omitted,additional modules may be added, and the interconnection of certainmodules may be altered.

At least a portion of one or more of the modules of any one or more offirst device control system 301, first accessory control system 381,second device control system 401, and second accessory control system481 may be stored in or otherwise accessible to first electronicsubsystem 10 and/or second electronic subsystem 20 in any suitablemanner (e.g., in memory 104 of device 100, in memory 184 of device 180,in memory 204 of device 200, in memory 284 of device 280, in server 70,in server 170, and/or in server 270). Any or each module of any one ormore of first device control system 301, first accessory control system381, second device control system 401, and second accessory controlsystem 481 may be implemented using any suitable technologies (e.g., asone or more integrated circuit devices), and different modules may ormay not be identical in structure, capabilities, and operation. Any orall of the modules or other components of any one or more of firstdevice control system 301, first accessory control system 381, seconddevice control system 401, and second accessory control system 481 maybe mounted on an expansion card, mounted directly on a systemmotherboard, or integrated into a system chipset component (e.g., into a“north bridge” chip). Any one or more of first device control system301, first accessory control system 381, second device control system401, and second accessory control system 481 may include any amount ofdedicated media playback memory, may include no dedicated media playbackmemory and may rely on device memory or network memory (e.g., memory ofserver 70), or may use any combination thereof.

Any one or more of first device control system 301, first accessorycontrol system 381, second device control system 401, and secondaccessory control system 481 may be a dedicated system implemented usingone or more expansion cards adapted for various bus standards. Forexample, all of the modules of a system may be mounted on differentinterconnected expansion cards or all of the modules of a system may bemounted on one expansion card. With respect to first device controlsystem 301, by way of example only, the modules of system 301 mayinterface with a motherboard or processor 102 of device 100 through anexpansion slot (e.g., a peripheral component interconnect (“PCI”) slotor a PCI express slot). Alternatively, system 301 need not be removablebut may include one or more dedicated modules that may include memory(e.g., RAM) dedicated to the utilization of the module. In otherembodiments, system 301 may be a system integrated into device 100. Forexample, a module of system 301 may utilize a portion of device memory104 of device 100. One or more of the modules of first device controlsystem 301 may include its own processing circuitry and/or memory.Alternatively each module of first device control system 301 may shareprocessing circuitry and/or memory with any other module of first devicecontrol system 301 and/or processor 102 and/or memory 104 of device 100.Similar configurations may be provided for second device control system401 with respect to device 200, for first accessory control system 381with respect to device 380, and/or for second accessory control system481 with respect to device 480.

One or more Application Programming Interfaces (“APIs”) may be used insome embodiments (e.g., with respect to first device control system 301,first accessory control system 381, second device control system 401,second accessory control system 481, or any other suitable module or anyother suitable portion of any suitable module of first device controlsystem 301, first accessory control system 381, second device controlsystem 401, and/or second accessory control system 481 of FIGS. 1-3C).An API may be an interface implemented by a program code component orhardware component (hereinafter “API-implementing component”) that mayallow a different program code component or hardware component(hereinafter “API-calling component”) to access and use one or morefunctions, methods, procedures, data structures, classes, and/or otherservices provided by the API-implementing component. An API can defineone or more parameters that may be passed between the API-callingcomponent and the API-implementing component.

An API may allow a developer of an API-calling component, which may be athird party developer, to leverage specified features provided by anAPI-implementing component. There may be one API-calling component orthere may be more than one such component. An API can be a source codeinterface that a computer system or program library may provide in orderto support requests for services from an application. An operatingsystem (“OS”) can have multiple APIs to allow applications running onthe OS to call one or more of those APIs, and a service (e.g., a programlibrary) can have multiple APIs to allow an application that uses theservice to call one or more of those APIs. An API can be specified interms of a programming language that can be interpreted or compiled whenan application is built.

In some embodiments, the API-implementing component may provide morethan one API, each providing a different view of or with differentaspects that access different aspects of the functionality implementedby the API-implementing component. For example, one API of anAPI-implementing component can provide a first set of functions and canbe exposed to third party developers, and another API of theAPI-implementing component can be hidden (e.g., not exposed) and canprovide a subset of the first set of functions and can also provideanother set of functions, such as testing or debugging functions whichare not in the first set of functions. In other embodiments, theAPI-implementing component may itself call one or more other componentsvia an underlying API and may thus be both an API-calling component andan API-implementing component.

An API may define the language and parameters that API-callingcomponents may use when accessing and using specified features of theAPI-implementing component. For example, an API-calling component mayaccess the specified features of the API-implementing component throughone or more API calls or invocations (e.g., embodied by function ormethod calls) exposed by the API and may pass data and controlinformation using parameters via the API calls or invocations. TheAPI-implementing component may return a value through the API inresponse to an API call from an API-calling component. While the API maydefines the syntax and result of an API call (e.g., how to invoke theAPI call and what the API call does), the API may not reveal how the APIcall accomplishes the function specified by the API call. Various APIcalls may be transferred via the one or more application programminginterfaces between the calling component (e.g., API-calling component)and an API-implementing component. Transferring the API calls mayinclude issuing, initiating, invoking, calling, receiving, returning, orresponding to the function calls or messages. Thus, transferring candescribe actions by either of the API-calling component or theAPI-implementing component. The function calls or other invocations ofthe API may send or receive one or more parameters through a parameterlist or other structure. A parameter can be a constant, key, datastructure, object, object class, variable, data type, pointer, array,list, or a pointer to a function or method or another way to reference adata or other item to be passed via the API.

Furthermore, data types or classes may be provided by the API andimplemented by the API-implementing component. Thus, the API-callingcomponent may declare variables, use pointers to, use or instantiateconstant values of such types or classes by using definitions providedin the API.

Generally, an API can be used to access a service or data provided bythe API-implementing component or to initiate performance of anoperation or computation provided by the API-implementing component. Byway of example, the API-implementing component and the API-callingcomponent may each be any one of an operating system, a library, adevice driver, an API, an application program, or other module. Itshould be understood that the API-implementing component and theAPI-calling component may be the same or different type of module fromeach other. API-implementing components may in some cases be embodied atleast in part in firmware, microcode, or other hardware logic. In someembodiments, an API may allow a client program to use the servicesprovided by a Software Development Kit (“SDK”) library. In otherembodiments, an application or other client program may use an APIprovided by an Application Framework. In such embodiments, theapplication or client program may incorporate calls to functions ormethods provided by the SDK and provided by the API or may use datatypes or objects defined in the SDK and provided by the API. AnApplication Framework may, in these embodiments, provide a main eventloop for a program that responds to various events defined by theFramework. The API may allow the application to specify the events andthe responses to the events using the Application Framework. In someimplementations, an API call can report to an application thecapabilities or state of a hardware device, including those related toaspects such as input capabilities and state, output capabilities andstate, processing capability, power state, storage capacity and state,communications capability, and the like, and the API may be implementedin part by firmware, microcode, or other low level logic that mayexecute in part on the hardware component.

The API-calling component may be a local component (i.e., on the samedata processing system as the API-implementing component) or a remotecomponent (i.e., on a different data processing system from theAPI-implementing component) that may communicate with theAPI-implementing component through the API over a network. It should beunderstood that an API-implementing component may also act as anAPI-calling component (i.e., it may make API calls to an API exposed bya different API-implementing component) and an API-calling component mayalso act as an API-implementing component by implementing an API thatmay be exposed to a different API-calling component.

The API may allow multiple API-calling components written in differentprogramming languages to communicate with the API-implementingcomponent, such that the API may include features for translating callsand returns between the API-implementing component and the API-callingcomponent. However, the API may be implemented in terms of a specificprogramming language. An API-calling component can, in some embodiments,call APIs from different providers, such as a set of APIs from an OSprovider and another set of APIs from a plug-in provider and another setof APIs from another provider (e.g., the provider of a software library)or creator of the another set of APIs.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary API architecture800, which may be used in some embodiments of the invention. As shown inFIG. 8, the API architecture 800 may include an API-implementingcomponent 810 (e.g., an operating system, a library, a device driver, anAPI, an application program, software, or other module) that mayimplements an API 820. API 820 may specify one or more functions,methods, classes, objects, protocols, data structures, formats, and/orother features of API-implementing component 810 that may be used by anAPI-calling component 830. API 820 can specify at least one callingconvention that may specify how a function in API-implementing component810 may receive parameters from API-calling component 830 and how thefunction may return a result to API-calling component 830. API-callingcomponent 830 (e.g., an operating system, a library, a device driver, anAPI, an application program, software, or other module), may make APIcalls through API 820 to access and use the features of API-implementingcomponent 810 that may be specified by API 820. API-implementingcomponent 810 may return a value through API 820 to API-callingcomponent 830 in response to an API call.

It is to be appreciated that API-implementing component 810 may includeadditional functions, methods, classes, data structures, and/or otherfeatures that may not be specified through API 820 and that may not beavailable to API-calling component 830. It is to be understood thatAPI-calling component 830 may be on the same system as API-implementingcomponent 810 or may be located remotely and may access API-implementingcomponent 810 using API 820 over a network. While FIG. 8 illustrates asingle API-calling component 830 interacting with API 820, it is to beunderstood that other API-calling components, which may be written indifferent languages than, or the same language as, API-calling component830, may use API 820.

API-implementing component 810, API 820, and API-calling component 830may each be implemented by software, but may also be implemented inhardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, andfirmware. They each may also be embodied as machine- orcomputer-readable code recorded on a machine- or computer-readablemedium. The computer-readable medium may be any data storage device thatcan store data or instructions which can thereafter be read by acomputer system. Examples of the computer-readable medium may include,but are not limited to, read-only memory, random-access memory, flashmemory, CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic tape, and optical data storage devices(e.g., memory 104, memory 184, memory 204, memory 284, server 70, server170, and/or server 270 of FIG. 1). The computer-readable medium can alsobe distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that thecomputer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.For example, the computer-readable medium may be communicated from oneelectronic device to another electronic device using any suitablecommunications protocol (e.g., the computer-readable medium may becommunicated to electronic device 100 via communications circuitry 106from server 70 and/or electronic device 200 of FIG. 1). Thecomputer-readable medium may embody computer-readable code,instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in amodulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transportmechanism, and may include any information delivery media. A modulateddata signal may be a signal that has one or more of its characteristicsset or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary software stack 900,which may be used in some embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG.9, Application A 901 and Application B 909 can make calls to Service A921 or Service B 929 using several Service APIs (e.g., Service APIs 913,915, and 917) and to Operating System (“OS”) 940 using several OS APIs(e.g., OS APIs 933 and 937). Service A 921 and Service B 929 can makecalls to OS 940 using several OS APIs (e.g., OS APIs 933 and 937).

For example, as shown in FIG. 9, Service B 929 may include two APIs, oneof which (i.e., Service B API-1 915) may receive calls from and returnvalues to Application A 901 and the other of which (i.e., Service BAPI-2 917) may receive calls from and return values to Application B909. Service A 921, which can be, for example, a software library, maymake calls to and receive returned values from OS API-1 933, and ServiceB 929, which can be, for example, a software library, may make calls toand receive returned values from both OS API-1 933 and OS API-2 937.Application B 909 may make calls to and receive returned values from OSAPI-2 937.

While there have been described systems, methods, and computer-readablemedia for transitioning media playback between multiple electronicdevices, it is to be understood that many changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by aperson with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, areexpressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of theclaims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one withordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of thedefined elements.

Therefore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventioncan be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which arepresented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic system comprising: a sensor; aprocessor; a memory; and a media playback component, wherein the memorycomprises computer readable code which, when executed by the processor,causes the system to: playback media, at a first moment in time and bythe media playback component, with a first playback value of a playbackcharacteristic, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at leastone of the following: volume level, spectral content, brightness level,or white point; determine, at a second moment in time after the firstmoment in time, a relationship value of a relationship characteristicbetween the electronic system and a second electronic system, whereinthe relationship characteristic comprises position information for theelectronic system in relation to the second electronic system;transition, at a third moment in time after the second moment in time,playback of the media to the second electronic system, wherein thetransition comprises stopping the playback of the media by the mediaplayback component and starting playback of the media by the secondelectronic system; receive, at a fourth moment in time after thetransition and from the sensor of the electronic system, a secondplayback value of the playback characteristic of the media, the sensorsensing the second playback value during playback of the media by thesecond electronic system after the transition; generate an adjustmentinstruction based on the relationship value and a comparison of thefirst playback value and the second playback value; and transmit theadjustment instruction to the second electronic system, the adjustmentinstruction dictating an adjusted value of the playback characteristicfor the media played back by the second electronic system at a fifthmoment in time after the transition.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinthe position information comprises one or more of: a distance betweenthe system and the second electronic system; and an orientation betweenthe system and the second electronic system.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the relationship value is determined during playback of themedia with the first playback value by the media playback component ofthe system.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer readablecode, when executed by the processor, further causes the system to:determine, before the transition, an ambient value of the environmentassociated with the system, wherein the adjustment instruction isfurther based on the determined ambient value.
 5. A method, comprising:playing back media, at a first moment in time and by a media playbackcomponent of a first electronic system, with a first playback value of aplayback characteristic, wherein the playback characteristic comprisesat least one of the following: volume level, spectral content,brightness level, or white point; determining, at a second moment intime after the first moment in time, a relationship value of arelationship characteristic between the first electronic system and asecond electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristiccomprises position information for the first electronic system inrelation to the second electronic system; transitioning, at a thirdmoment in time after the second moment in time, playback of the media tothe second electronic system, wherein the transition comprises stoppingthe playback of the media by the media playback component of the firstelectronic system and starting playback of the media by a media playbackcomponent of the second electronic system; receiving, at a fourth momentin time after the transition and from a sensor of the first electronicsystem, a second playback value of the playback characteristic of themedia, the sensor sensing the second playback value during playback ofthe media by the media playback component of the second electronicsystem after the transition; generating an adjustment instruction thatis based, at least in part, on the relationship value and a comparisonof the first playback value and the second playback value; andtransmitting the adjustment instruction to the second electronic system,the adjustment instruction dictating an adjusted value of the playbackcharacteristic for the media played back by the second electronic systemat a fifth moment in time after the transition.
 6. The method of claim5, wherein the position information comprises one or more of: a distancebetween the first and second electronic systems; and an orientationbetween the first and second electronic systems.
 7. The method of claim5, wherein the relationship value is determined, at least partially,during playback of the media with the first playback value by the mediaplayback component of the first electronic system.
 8. The method ofclaim 5, further comprising: determining, before the transition, anambient value of the environment associated with the first electronicsystem, wherein the adjustment instruction is further based on thedetermined ambient value.
 9. A non-transitory computer readable mediumstoring data comprising instructions, the instructions executable by oneor more processors to cause the one or more processors to: cause, at afirst moment in time, a media playback component of a first electronicsystem to playback media with a first playback value of a playbackcharacteristic, wherein the playback characteristic comprises at leastone of the following: volume level, spectral content, brightness level,or white point; determine, at a second moment in time after the firstmoment in time, a relationship value of a relationship characteristicbetween the first electronic system and a second electronic system,wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position informationfor the first electronic system in relation to the second electronicsystem; cause, at a third moment in time after the second moment intime, the first electronic system to transition playback of the media tothe second electronic system, wherein the transition comprises stoppingthe playback of the media by the media playback component of the firstelectronic system and starting playback of the media by a media playbackcomponent of the second electronic system; receive, at a fourth momentin time after the transition and from a sensor of the first electronicsystem, a second playback value of the playback characteristic of themedia, the sensor sensing the second playback value during playback ofthe media by the media playback component of the second electronicsystem after the transition; generate an adjustment instruction that isbased, at least in part, on the relationship value and a comparison ofthe first playback value and the second playback value; and transmit theadjustment instruction to the second electronic system, the adjustmentinstruction dictating an adjusted value of the playback characteristicfor the media played back by the second electronic system at a fifthmoment in time after the transition.
 10. The non-transitory computerreadable medium of claim 9, wherein the position information comprisesone or more of: a distance between the first electronic system and thesecond electronic system; and an orientation between the firstelectronic system and the second electronic system.
 11. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein therelationship value is determined, at least partially, during playback ofthe media with the first playback value by the media playback componentof the first electronic system.
 12. The non-transitory computer readablemedium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one ormore processors, further cause the one or more processors to: determine,before the transition, an ambient value of the environment associatedwith the first electronic system, wherein the adjustment instruction isfurther based on the determined ambient value.
 13. An electronic system,comprising: a processor; a memory; and a media playback component,wherein the memory comprises computer readable code which, when executedby the processor, causes the system to: playback, by the media playbackcomponent, media at a first moment in time using a first playback valueof a playback characteristic of the media in response to the playback ofthe media being transitioned to the electronic system from a secondelectronic system at a second moment in time that is earlier than thefirst moment in time, wherein the playback characteristic comprises atleast one of the following: volume level, spectral content, brightnesslevel, or white point, and wherein the transition comprises stopping theplayback of the media by a media playback component of the secondelectronic system and starting playback of the media by the mediaplayback component of the electronic system; receive, by the system, anadjustment instruction at a third moment in time after the transitionand during the playback of the media by the media playback component ofthe electronic system, the adjustment instruction being generated based,at least in part, on a relationship value of a relationshipcharacteristic between the electronic system and the second electronicsystem and on a comparison of the first playback value of the playbackcharacteristic and a second playback value of the playbackcharacteristic that is associated with the second electronic system,wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position informationfor the electronic system in relation to the second electronic system;and adjust, during the playback of the media, the first playback valueof the playback characteristic based on the adjustment instruction,wherein the adjustment instruction dictates an adjusted value of theplayback characteristic for the media played back by the media playbackcomponent of the electronic system at a fourth moment in time after thetransition.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the position informationcomprises one or more of: a distance between the system and the secondelectronic system.
 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the positioninformation comprises an orientation between the system and the secondelectronic system.
 16. The system of claim 13, wherein the firstplayback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by a sensor ofthe second electronic system after the transition.
 17. The system ofclaim 16, wherein the first playback value is sensed based, at least inpart, on instructing a user to maintain the sensor in a particularfashion with respect to the media playback component.
 18. The system ofclaim 16, wherein the first playback value of the playbackcharacteristic is sensed by the sensor after the transition.
 19. Amethod, comprising: playing back, by a media playback component of afirst electronic system, media at a first moment in time using a firstplayback value of a playback characteristic of the media in response tothe playback of the media being transitioned to the first electronicsystem from a second electronic system at a second moment in time thatis earlier than the first moment in time, wherein the playbackcharacteristic comprises at least one of the following: volume level,spectral content, brightness level, or white point, and wherein thetransition comprises stopping the playback of the media by a mediaplayback component of the second electronic system and starting playbackof the media by the media playback component of the first electronicsystem; receiving, by the first electronic system, an adjustmentinstruction at a third moment in time after the transition and duringthe playback of the media by the media playback component of the firstelectronic system, the adjustment instruction being generated based, atleast in part, on a relationship value of a relationship characteristicbetween the first and second electronic systems and on a comparison ofthe first playback value of the playback characteristic and a secondplayback value of the playback characteristic that is associated withthe second electronic system, wherein the relationship characteristiccomprises position information for the first electronic system inrelation to the second electronic system; and adjusting, during theplayback of the media, the first playback value of the playbackcharacteristic based on the adjustment instruction, wherein theadjustment instruction dictates an adjusted value of the playbackcharacteristic for the media played back by the media playback componentof the first electronic system at a fourth moment in time after thetransition.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the position informationcomprises a distance between the media playback component and the secondelectronic system.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the positioninformation comprises an orientation between the first electronic systemand the second electronic system.
 22. The method of claim 19, whereinthe first playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by asensor of the second electronic system.
 23. The method of claim 22,wherein the first playback value is sensed based, at least in part, oninstructing a user to maintain the sensor in a particular fashion withrespect to the media playback component of the first electronic system.24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first playback value of theplayback characteristic is sensed by the sensor after the transition.25. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing data comprisinginstructions, the instructions executable by one or more processors tocause the one or more processors to: cause a media playback component ofa first electronic system to playback media at a first moment in timeusing a first playback value of a playback characteristic of the mediain response to the playback of the media being transitioned to the firstelectronic system from a second electronic system at a second moment intime that is earlier than the first moment, wherein the playbackcharacteristic comprises at least one of the following: volume level,spectral content, brightness level, or white point, and wherein thetransition comprises stopping the playback of the media by a mediaplayback component of the second electronic system and starting playbackof the media by the media playback component of the first electronicsystem; receive an adjustment instruction at a third moment in timeafter the transition and during the playback of the media by the mediaplayback component of the first electronic system, the adjustmentinstruction being generated based, at least in part, on a relationshipvalue of a relationship characteristic between the first and secondelectronic systems and on a comparison of the first playback value ofthe playback characteristic and a second playback value of the playbackcharacteristic that is associated with the second electronic system,wherein the relationship characteristic comprises position informationfor the first electronic system in relation to the second electronicsystem; and adjust, during the playback of the media, the first playbackvalue of the playback characteristic based on the adjustmentinstruction, wherein the adjustment instruction dictates an adjustedvalue of the playback characteristic for the media played back by themedia playback component of the first electronic system at a fourthmoment in time after the transition.
 26. The non-transitory computerreadable medium of claim 25, wherein the position information comprisesa distance between the media playback component and the secondelectronic system.
 27. The non-transitory computer readable medium ofclaim 25, wherein the position information comprises an orientationbetween the first electronic system and the second electronic system.28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein thefirst playback value of the playback characteristic is sensed by asensor of the second electronic system.
 29. The non-transitory computerreadable medium of claim 28, wherein the first playback value is sensedbased, at least in part, on instructing a user to maintain the sensor ina particular fashion with respect to the media playback component of thefirst electronic system.
 30. The non-transitory computer readable mediumof claim 28, wherein the first playback value of the playbackcharacteristic is sensed by the sensor after the transition.